Go, go GROW

Colleen Gonzalez’s kindergarten son was getting distracted during class. “I felt pressured to medicate him,” says the Seminole County, Florida, Costco member. But she thought more exercise might help.

Approaching his school, she discovered that it hadn’t joined a running program offered by its district. Citing a lack of funding and volunteers, the principal said the school would join if Gonzalez mustered enough resources.

Gonzalez established a nonprofit called GROW (Grass Roots Outreach Within) Central Florida. In its first year, 2015, with $6,000 raised and 33 volunteer coaches, GROW engaged 3,337 students in cross-country running. “GROW’s programs are free. Most of the students involved came from low-income homes,” she says.

GROW has since engaged more than 56,500 youths in sports and contributed over $528,000 in goods and resources—including recess activity and running event supplies, athletic shoes, sports balls and more—to the community.—Milly Dawson