Girls on the Run, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization based in Charlotte, North Carolina, was founded in 1996 by four-time Hawaiian Ironman Triathlete, Molly Barker, MSW. Molly's idea for Girls on the Run grew from her own difficult experiences as a girl growing into her teenage years. She wanted to give girls today the skills and the courage to move beyond the pressures and challenges of adolescence. Molly won America's Most Out of the Box Individual Award sponsored by Mazda, USA for her dedication to the Girls on the Run program. In 1998, Molly also won the "Golden Shoe Award" from Runner's World magazine for her contributions and commitment to the running community. Read Molly's story.

Because of the tremendous success of Girls on the Run of Charlotte, Molly formed Girls on the Run International as a parent organization to provide the structure for others to start chapter programs in their areas. Girls on the Run
International provides curricula, program support, New Balance products, and 501(C)(3) fiscal sponsorship for new chapters. In five years, Girls on the Run has grown to over fifty chapters in twenty nine states and Canada. In 2001, over 20,000 girls nationwide participated in a Girls on the Run program. About fifty percent of those girls signed up for a second program.

Girls on the Run has received plenty of media attention, including: Runner's World magazine, Running Times magazine, Healthy Kids Magazine, Cooking Light magazine, Parents magazine, NBC News, Daughters Newsletter, Northwest Runner, and others.

Girls on the Run of Puget Sound was started in 2002 by Jeanne Higgins. Jeanne heard about Girls on the Run in the spring of 2001, and volunteered with Girls on the Run of NW Washington in Bellingham throughout the following year, including serving on the board of directors. After experiencing the success of the programs in Bellingham, Jeanne wanted to bring Girls on the Run to the Seattle area. She started Girls on the Run of Puget Sound in the spring of 2002 and shortly after ran a pilot program at the Seattle Girls' School.

Girls on the Run of Puget Sound operated its first community-based program in fall of 2002 at Meadowbrook Community Center in North Seattle. GOTR has grown in the past five years and is planning for seven sites in Spring 2007 for Seattle and the Eastside. Our staff has grown and is now comprised of an Executive Director, Program Coordinator, Americorps VISTA, and academic intern. Girl power!

[Meet the people that made GOTR of Puget Sound a reality! ---->]