31 Compassionate GOTR Community Impact Projects
Community Impact Projects inspire participants with the confidence to make a difference in the world around them. After learning about the importance of community and brainstorming ways of giving back, teams participate in an activity where they vote on a project that will positively influence and support a community near them. Throughout every step of the project, girls uniquely channel the self-assurance, empathy and courage they gained at practices. Between park clean-ups, food drives and bake sales, our girls never cease to amaze us with their can-do attitudes and giving spirits. Since our program began in 1996, Community Impact Project week has been of the true highlights of every GOTR season. And now, we are proud to share just a fraction of their incredible work from 2023 with you today! Check out 31 Compassionate GOTR Community Impact Projects!
Girls on the Run Greater Detroit
This season, the Girls on the Run Greater Detroit team from Paint Creek Elementary in Lake Orion wanted to help children who have experienced an emergency or trauma. For their Community Impact Project, the team decided to purchase Teddy Bears for such children and decorate the bear’s shirts with comforting messages. From there, GOTR delivered the bears to local police who will give them to children who just experienced an emergency, and needed the warm, safe embrace of a soft Teddy Bear. It’s clear a TON of heart went into this project — awesome job, team!
Girls on the Run Greater Rochester
The Hilton Village Elementary team hosted a lemonade stand to raise money for the Golisano Children’s Hospital, which ended up earning more than $1000! In addition to the lemonade stand, the team also created cards for kids at St. Jude’s Hospital and collected dog treats and made cards for animals (and their families) at a local veterinary’s office. Great job impacting both humans AND furry friends, team!
Girls on the Run Greater Rochester
The Brighton team from Girls on the Run Greater Rochester dedicated their Community Impact Project to the Cleft Rescue Unit of New 2 U Rescue. To support this organization’s work, GOTR participants created fleece blankets, braided toys for the puppies and collected toy donations, unscented baby wipes, and blankets. Way to go, girls!
Girls on the Run Greater Tampa Bay
The Girls on the Run Greater Tampa Bay team from Ridgecrest Elementary embraced their creative AND innovative streaks by making dog and cat toys for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).
Girls on the Run Greater Tampa Bay
The Eisenhower Elementary GOTR Greater Tampa Bay team put together goodie bags and Thank You cards for school staff in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week. They also created a video in which each teammate expressed their gratitude for what the staff does every day of the year!
Girls on the Run Greater Tampa Bay
The R. H. Prine Elementary team from Tampa Bay used their Star Power to make gift bags for a residents at a local nursing home. They also created a book in which each girl wrote what GOTR means to them. Now that’s spreading good GOTR cheer!
Girls on the Run Hampton Roads
The Gatesville Elementary team from Girls on the Run Hampton Roads beautified their school by cleaning around the playground and planting fresh flowers. Dianna McClelland, GOTR coach shared, “The girls took pride in the days and weeks after caring for the plants on a daily basis, even when GOTR was officially over. This project may have only impacted our small school community, but the values the girls learned and effort the girls put in will definitely carry further than we ever could have carried them.”
Girls on the Run Maine
The Rockport Elementary team planned and led an hour of outdoor activities to support students attending a local YMCA aftercare program. The girls ran a musical chairs game with live music (one of their participants played her violin and another participant played her ukulele), a ‘marco-polo’ type game, and a soccer game with a giant two-and-a-half foot diameter soccer ball. The YMCA aftercare director expressed her appreciation for the project, “This day will be the highlight of these children’s’ aftercare experience. I saw students who don’t usually participate playing games and having a great time. Many of the children asked to stay longer when their parents arrived to pick them up. Thank you!”
Girls on the Run Maine
For their Community Impact Project, the Memorial School (Gray-New Gloucester) team spruced up the front garden of their program site. The girls agreed that they all wanted to create something that would benefit the entire school community and every person that used the building. The team even used their GOTR Toolbox to organize the garden and delegate tasks!
Girls on the Run of Berks County
The Northeast Middle School team created and hung a GOTR Positivity Mural in their school to inspire their fellow female students. The mural features meaningful reminders of statements girls should tell themselves more. Statements include:
- Be yourself, be brave
- You’re good enough
- You’re beautiful
- Be kind
Girls on the Run of Berks County
The Muhlenberg Elementary Center team partnered with the LightHouse Women & Children’s Center (part of Hope Rescue Mission) to collect hygiene projects (filling eight boxes in total!) for children. The products were added to welcome baskets for the brand-new shelter opening in July 2023. Additionally, Kate Alley, program director of Lighthouse, visited the team to talk to the girls about the program, express thanks and collect the donations.
Girls on the Run of Berks County
For their spring 2023 Community Impact Project, the Whitfield Elementary School team hosted a bake sale yesterday to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s Paws at Play program that provides therapy dogs to support kids and staff. The girls planned. They baked. They made announcements during lunches and in their classrooms. They made posters, flyers, and even created a script for the morning announcements. In 30 fast-paced minutes, the girls raised $598! Kirsten Haas, executive director at GOTR Berks County, emphasized the team’s personal connection to the project, “One of our girls is a survivor that benefitted from St. Jude and their therapy dogs, so the cause was very dear to all of us.”
Girls on the Run of Northeast Florida
In 2022, the GOTR Northeast Florida team at St. Paul’s Catholic School held a pop-up fundraiser to earn enough money to purchase a beach wheelchair for the Jacksonville Beach community. At the pop-up event, they sold sno-cones, held a bake sale and also sold bracelets — raising more than $1,100. Following the fundraiser, the team presented their donated wheelchair to the mayor at the city council meeting! Simply incredible!
Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia
The GOTR team at Waples Mill Elementary completed a stellar ‘Pizza for Pups & Cookies for Cats’ pizza/bake sale to benefit the local animal rescue. Girls used their unique sparks to create flyers for the event, bake goodies, and share their GOTR spirit to attract customers during the sale. In the end, the girls raised $220 to benefit A Forever Home! Tails everywhere are wagging at their hard work!
Girls on the Run of Rhode Island
Little Compton Elementary dedicated their Community Impact Project to two causes: celebrating their coaches and helping protect the oceans! The team made friendship bracelets to give out to the coaches who reached a milestone. Many of the girls had no experience making bracelets and so the fifth grader lead the way by supporting their younger peers. To raise funds for ocean-saving initiatives, the team held a lemonade stand. After an hour and a half, the team sold all of their lemonade and raised $210! We SEA nothing but greatness here! 😉
Girls on the Run of Rhode Island
The Norwood Elementary School team cleaned up the two playgrounds at their school for their Community Impact Project. One of the students said this project even motivated her enough to clean up her backyard at home after practice! The team also infused some color into the playground by painting rocks and planting flowers outside the front sign of our school to make a community garden. The coaches also had each girl dedicate a painted rock for the Central Falls Girls team in honor of Coach Kelly.
Girls on the Run of Rhode Island
The Achievement First GOTR participants planted flowers and decorated the teacher-made planter box in front of the school. This group of talented teammates agreed that they wanted to do a project that impacted their entire school, so they worked together to add some beauty and brightness to a location that everyone will enjoy!
Girls on the Run of Rhode Island
The team at Frank Silva put their markers and minds to work by creating colorful and encouraging cards for youth in the local pediatric hospital.
Girls on the Run of South-Central Wisconsin
The Elvehjem team held a bake sale to raise funds for the Goodman Community Center and made $521.38! As you can see from the photo below, the team was well-organized and bursting with passion!
Girls on the Run of South-Central Wisconsin
For their Project, the participants from Harvest Intermediate wanted to share their inspiration to those who need it most! They dedicated a great way to share this courage and confidence would be by writing letters and decorating posters for patients and families at the American Family Children’s Hospital. Thanks for spreading the joy, team!
Girls on the Run of South-Central Wisconsin
Participants from the Glacier Edge Elementary team looked out for local furry friends by making dog and cat toys for Be My Furevers animal rescue. They even incorporated the GOTR colors in their toy design — we love to see it!
Girls on the Run of South-Central Wisconsin
GOTR teammates from Waubesa Intermediate School made bookmarks for the McFarland Public Library, and it’s already sparking joy throughout the community. A library staff member and former GOTR coach shared, “This project makes my heart so happy! Our staff and patrons are very grateful!”
Girls on the Run of South-Central Wisconsin
The Northside Elementary team in Sun Prairie, WI picked up trash around the grounds of the school. They were organized, had a plan and worked as a unit to ensure no spots were missed. We appreciate this thoughtfulness and attention to detail!
Girls on the Run of South-Central Wisconsin
GOTR girls from Pope Farm Elementary in Middleton, WI created ‘Adopt Me’ animal posters for the Shelter from the Storm Animal Rescue. The girls learned about each animal resident and was intentional to include important details and tell strong, engaging stories. Shout-out to this team for using their GOTR voices on behalf of the voiceless!
Girls on the Run of Southeastern Suburban PA
Inspired by the lessons they learned, this team revamped and restocked the Little Book Library outside of their school. GOTR taught this team the importance of balance and healthy habits, so they wanted to spread the word as strongly as possible. This project offered them the chance to encourage their classmates and community members to one habit that benefits every aspect of their lives: reading!
Girls on the Run of Southeastern Suburban PA
This Girls on the Run of Southeastern Suburban PA team honored Teacher Appreciation Week by making uplifting cards and goodie bags for the educators at their school. Teacher Appreciation Week may have passed, but we are sure this school is still radiating happiness from this special celebration!
Girls on the Run of the Greater Chesapeake
The Hurlock Elementary, Eastern Shore team collected donations for our town police department. The girls created a basket of goodies for each officer, including personalized hand-made cards. As part of the project, the team walked to the station and dropped the baskets off in-person as a thank you for supporting their Practice 5K!
Girls on the Run of the Greater Chesapeake
The girls from Mt. Harmony Elementary helped spread kindness by creating and recognizing acts of kindness using flower petals on a bulletin board in their school’s cafeteria. With every positive action or word, each flower will grow and showcase the GOTR values year-round!
Girls on the Run of Union County
The Hemby Bridge Elementary School team planned, built, and stocked a free pantry and library to support community members who need access to non-perishable foods and/or books. Special thank you to Coach Brianne who has been helping to maintain this pantry and library after the season concluded. We see and admire your leadership, coach!
Girls on the Run of Union County
The Sandy Ridge Elementary School selected supporting Make-A-Wish for their Community Impact Project. The team collaborated with Marvin Ridge High School and a former Wish Kid who also were also raising funds for a local Make-a-Wish participant. The combined teams held an epic lemonade and bake sale and raised more than $700 for Make-A-Wish! GOTR is turning wishes into realities — amazing work, girls!
Girls on the Run Tri County
The Dobys Bridge Elementary School team in Fort Mill created cards and activity bags for patients at Levine’s Children’s Hospital. In the goodie bags, the girls created games, projects, craft ideas and even wrote instructions for each activity. Look at their smiling faces! That’s pure GOTR pride. <3
Next season is on the way and we are hoping to have you and/or your girl join us! To learn more about our program, click here. To become a volunteer, click here.
