INSPIRING YOUNG GIRLS IN SERVICE, CONNECTION, AND COMMUNITY

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Bo Griffiths. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

Bo Griffiths may only be 13 years old, but she’s already making huge changes in her community. Back in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Bo told her mother she wanted to start an organization focused on kindness and good deeds. Hoping to connect with others and minimize isolation, Bo sat around the dining room table with four other girls. That became the first meeting of G.I.R.L.S., an acronym for Great Independent Reliable Lovable Souls. The organization creates community service opportunities for young girls, empowers them, and allows them to learn from others as they serve.

Now a rising ninth grader, Bo made the organization an official 501(c)(3) last year and is moving forward full speed ahead. Ranging in age from first grade to eighth grade, the young women meet independently once a month to complete a service project, which could range from volunteering at the local soup kitchen and writing letters to soldiers to visiting a nursing home or helping with hurricane relief. One of the group’s recent projects included working on a chief care closet at North Myrtle Beach High School, so students can “shop” for items they need in a boutique-style environment. They also have big plans in the works for the future: During the upcoming school year, G.I.R.L.S. will partner with an organization called You Are Loved on a backpack drive. What started as just a handful of girls has blossomed into multiple chapters that now total over 80 members.

Creating G.I.R.L.S. has led Bo to endless new opportunities, from attending leadership groups to serving as a South Carolina student ambassador. She’s met endless new people who help her bolster the organization and is learning how to make it even better in the future. Whenever someone asks Bo what she wants to do as a career, she shares that while she’s not exactly sure what she wants to pursue, she knows she wants it to somehow help others through a nonprofit. Through her own volunteer work as a teen, Bo is already informing her future.

What inspires you to volunteer?

I think the need to connect with people inspires me to do volunteer work. I learn so many amazing lessons through volunteering with so many different types of people.

What inspired you to get started with this initiative?

I started this initiative the summer after COVID, during a time when I felt we needed more community after being stuck isolated in our homes. Getting a few girls together to better the community felt really refreshing.

Tell us about your volunteer role with G.I.R.L.S.

I’m the founder of G.I.R.L.S, so I coordinate all of our chapters. I find the volunteer work for each chapter and I run my chapter. There are six chapters. I came up with the name one day when my friend and I thought up the acronym. I didn’t even know the title was going to be used for this, but then I thought back to it, and I realized that it’s such a fun, unique title. We thought it was perfect. Along with a board of several other girls, we manage the finances, coordinate chapter events, and host fundraisers.

What are your long-term plans or goals for the organization?

I’m not sure what the future exactly will hold for G.I.R.L.S. I know that it will continue encouraging girls of all ages to get involved with their community and to serve others. I hope the group continues to grow new chapters with new faces that are ready to serve.

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?

I would say the most rewarding part of my work is seeing girls as young as five years old do such important things in our communities. No matter how young they are, they’re making a big change. Not only that, but I’m also rewarded by the amazing lessons I learned from seniors, people with special needs, and so many other amazing people.

What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?

Through my experiences, I have learned that people need people. Usually, when volunteering, we feel like we’re helping others, but I have learned that volunteer work can lead to feeling more empowered as a volunteer yourself.

Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about?

I think spending a few hours doing something you care about can leave others feeling inspired and encouraged. You, yourself, feel more fulfilled.

What do you want people to learn from your story?

I want people to learn that no matter their age, they can make a difference. Girls should always support girls through anything: through sports, through their community, and through school. There are always ways to support each other.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Bo? Find local volunteer opportunities.