Imagine being a small child and only being able to visit with your mother twice a month, for only two hours at a time. That is the situation for several young girls who belong to the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland. Since their time with their mothers is so limited, the coordinators at the Girl Scouts want to make it as meaningful as possible. They do so with their Beyond Bars program.

The Girl Scouts Beyond Bars is a program that began with the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland in 1992 in order to bond daughters with their incarcerated mothers. The program has been a model for 25 similar programs across the nation. Between 15 and 20 girls participate in each meeting.