Statements
Mission
We inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.
Girls on the Run is a non-profit after-school program that uses the power of running to educate and prepare 8 to 13 year-old girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living. Our research-based curriculum teaches life skills for the whole girl; body, brain, heart, spirit, and social connection. The program culminates with a celebratory, non-competitive 5k to teach a sense of accomplishment and goal setting.
Background
Girls on the Run (GOTR) was founded in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1993 by Molly Barker, MSW and four-time Hawaii Ironman triathlete. The innovative, experiential after-school program combines training for a 5k event with life-changing, self-esteem enhancing lessons that enhance social, emotional, physical and mental health in adolescent girls. What started with one school has grown to over 200 councils in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. With the help of over 100,000 volunteers, Girls on the Run served over 185,000 girls in 2015, including its millionth girl! In the same year, Girls on the Run hosted more than 350 end-of-season 5K events across the United States, making the Girls on the Run 5K series the largest in the country. That year we also launched a new middle school program, Heart & Sole, which is dedicated to the unique needs of adolescent girls. Girls on the Run has been featured by national media outlets including People, Runner's World, Redbook, Women's Day, O Magazine, Women's Running, SELF Magazine, Glamour, Shape, Marie Claire, Parenting, Running Times, CNN, MSNBC, ABC News, NBC News, NPR, ESPN and FOX Sports. In 2016, Dr. Maureen Weiss, University of Minnesota, conducted an independent study evaluating the impact of Girls on the Run (GOTR) on positive youth development. The findings provide strong evidence that GOTR has a positive impact on girls during the program and beyond, and makes a stronger impact than organized sports and school physical education in teaching life skills. The intentional life skills curriculum and coach training program are key to our impact and are exemplars for other youth programs. GOTR Middle Tennessee offered its inaugural program in the Fall of 2007, expanded to two programs in Spring 2008, began serving middle school in Fall 2008, added the first Sumner County site in Spring 2009 and the first Williamson County programs in Fall 2009. In 2015 we expanded to serve Montgomery and Rutherford Counties. Further expansions are planned as funds, coaches and volunteers allow. Girls on the Run of Middle Tennessee has served over 4,600 girls since Fall 2007.
Impact
Girls on the Run of Middle Tennessee offered its inaugural program in 2007 and has since served over 4,800 girls, ages 8 to 13.
70% of all girls participating within the program requires financial assistance.
Not only are enrolled girls benefiting from increased physical milestones, they are equally building their social-emotional and problem solving skills while participating within the program. And developing the councils, core competencies of caring, confidence, competence, and connections
Needs
Donations and Sponsorship - 70% of girls in our program will need scholarship assistance to cover the $200 program fee. Your donations and sponsorship ensure we never have to turn away a girl due to inability to pay.
Coaches - Each team we serve requires 2-3 volunteer coaches for the site to be sustained. We provide training and support so our coaches can be successful.
SoleMates - SoleMates pursue athletic goals (races of all distances, triathlons, cycling events) while raising money for the Girls on the Run Scholarship Fund.
Board Chair Statement
Girls on the Run is so much more than a running program, we focus on the whole girl - mind, body and spirit.
Running is a teaching tool that allows us to address issues far beyond physical health such as self-esteem, thankfulness, bullying, decision making skills and conflict resolution. All of the skills, physical and emotional, that our girls are learning, will be things they can use their entire lives.
Many of our girls start the program with low confidence, limited physical activity and don't know how to handle stress. By the end of the season, our girls are healthier and happier. Many even report to be confident in being a leader now.
In a world full of barriers and roadblocks, it is wonderful to know these girls will be equipped and empowered to break and push through the challenges that come there way.
Our curriculum intentionally focuses on creating stronger girls in every way who will grow up to be strong, whole women, and that's something I wholeheartedly support.
- Destiney Patton, Board President
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Youth Development - Girls Clubs |
| Secondary Category: | - |
| Tertiary Category: | - |
Areas Served
Davidson, Montgomery, Rutherford, Sumner, Wilson and Williamson counties.
| TN - Davidson |
| TN - Sumner |
| TN - Williamson |
| TN - Montgomery |
| TN - Rutherford |
| TN - Wilson |
