Maria Johnson Darby, Vice President of Advancement for the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland, is a natural at leading by example. So when it was time for Maria to get rid of her 1998 Mitsubishi Galant, she knew just what to do: Maria donated her car to Vehicles for Change, a donation that highlighted the GSCM-VFC partnership and helped earn money for the Girl Scouts.
Your title at GSCM is Vice President of Advancement. What type of activities are part of your day-to-day work?
I manage the fundraising, communications and cookie programs here at GSCM. I love my job because I have the opportunity to create win-win partnerships for Girl Scouts and for donors/partners. I also get to meet and interact with amazing Girl Scouts of all ages and see firsthand how Girl Scouting has positively impacted their lives. As a former Girl Scout, I firmly believe that the Girl Scout program delivers on its mission to develop girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place. I know that today’s Girl Scouts are positioned to be tomorrow’s leaders of business, industry, community, government and social agencies. They learn that they can be whatever they want to be if they set goals and diligently work towards them.
Your own car donation is a great way to lead the GSCM-VFC partnership. What prompted you to donate your car?
I love the mission of VFC. Although I knew my car probably was too old to be used by a family I was pleased that it would be sold at auction and the funds used to support the families involved with VFC. There are many car donation charities, but what I like about VFC is that at-risk families directly benefit from the vehicles that are donated. Donating my car was my way of making a small difference in the life of someone else who could use a hand right now.
How long have you had your car?
I had this car for over 10 years. It was a good car – took me a lot of places.
What is your favorite memory of your Mitsubishi?
This is the first car I negotiated and bought all on my own! All the rest of cars I bought I had the help of someone else to negotiate…this one was a symbol that I could handle these kinds of things on my own.
Any exciting upcoming events for the GSCM?
We just had our 100th Anniversary Event, which was amazing and we are knee-deep in summer camp. It is not too late to sign up for camp. Check us out at www.gscm.org.
Vehicles for Change has partnered with the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland for the past 2 years. Through this partnership, family and friends of GSCM can donate cars to VFC on behalf of the Girl Scouts, and in exchange GSCM receives 40 percent of the net proceeds from the donated vehicle. Would you like to donate on behalf of the Girl Scouts? Simply mention Girl Scouts of Central Maryland at the time of your donation, and they will benefit!
Interested in becoming a nonprofit partner? Visit Become A Nonprofit Partner to learn more!
