Story highlights Troop 6000 is the first in New York City made up solely of homeless girls

"If one of us is down the rest of us will be there to pick them back up," Scout says

(CNN) The members of Girl Scout Troop 6000 are just like any other girls. They go on trips, draw, sing and dance and sell those famous cookies. But their connection goes beyond Tagalongs and Thin Mints.

Troop 6000 is the first in New York City made up solely of homeless girls. All the members live at the Sleep Inn in Queens, where the city has transformed the 10-floor building into a homeless shelter that serves 100 homeless families.

The troop was created in February by Giselle Burgess, a homeless mother of five who serves as the Queens Community Development Specialist for Girl Scouts of Greater New York.

The troop has 25 members and spans all levels of scouting.

Burgess told The New York Times, which first reported on the troop, that she became active in the community after moving into Sleep Inn and discussed the idea of creating a troop in the building with her bosses, who already had been talking to Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, who represents the inn's district.

Troop 6000 is 25 members strong and growing, with scouts ages 5-14. "We have Brownies all the way to Cadettes," said Burgess.

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