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How can you help?

By supporting Girls on the Run, you can make it possible for more girls to participate in our valuable program. Your donations are essential. Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated.

Please note: You may be able to double or triple your donation impact! Please check with your employer about company match programs.

 Why Contribute?

Problems for today's girls:

• Three million you Americans seriously considered suicide in 2000 and of those, over 1 million actually tried to kill themselves.
• Girls were twice as likely as boys to report contemplating suicied.
• Body dissatisfaction and dietary restraint are predictors of depression in girls.
• Almost two-thirds of girls in 5th-12th grades are dissatisfied with their body shape and want to lose weight.
• Girls as young as five form negative self-images based on their weight.
• Among girls, an emphasis on popularity and slimness along with increased telelvision viewing are linked to low self-esteem.

Good News:

• Girls who participate in physical activities are 40% less likely to smoke, have higher levels of self-esteem, better body image, and lower levels of depression.
• Girls who have experienced emotional trauma respond positively to physical fitness programs.
• Girls who participate in physical activities are less likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors during adolescence.
• Girls who participate in physical exercise have better relationships with parents, get better grades, are less likely to use drugs, and are less depressed compared to girls who don't.

Girls on the Run participants have:

• Higher self-esteem
• Improved eating attitudes
• An improved body image
• A positive peer group and positive role modes.
• According to research conducted by Dr. Rita DeBate, PhD, MPH, CHES, assistant professor in the department of Health Behavior at UNC-Charlotte, the Girls on the Run curricula improves girls' self-esteem, body image and eating attitudes to a "statistically significant" extent.