Iowa homeless shelter to start Girl Scouts troop

A homeless shelter in western Iowa will be starting a Girl Scouts troop.

The Omaha World-Herald reports that Micah House in Council Bluffs will begin holding troop meetings next month. The shelter received a $1,000 grant from the Pottawattamie Youth Council to start the troop.

Shelter executive director Jaymes Sime was inspired after reading about a troop expanding to homeless shelters in New York City.

Sime says the troop will give girls staying at the shelter a place to meet others in their situation. He says girls will have sashes, be able to earn badges and might even try selling cookies.

The house served more than 130 girls ages 5 to 17 last year.

The shelter is still working to find volunteer troop leaders before the first meeting.

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Information from: Omaha World-Herald, http://www.omaha.com