Posted on March 3, 2022
| 3:49 p.m.
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria has received a $50,000 grant from Cottage Hospital Foundation to provide buffering services to local girls and support growth in the organization’s STRONG program, which combines physical activity, nutrition, and a healthy living curriculum to engage mind, body and soul.
The funds will enable Girls Inc. of Carpinteria to focus on three key areas to support overall health for the girls it serves, including:
» Balanced nutrition: Girls Inc. will be able to continue its efforts to ensure girls and families are receiving nutritious snacks, meals and food outside of school hours.
» Access to nature: Through its garden spaces on campus, Girls Inc. engages girls in learning the process of growing food. The produce grown is then utilized in the STRONG program to expose girls to foods they might not normally have access to.
» Physical activity: With a focus on introducing new and alternative physical activities to girls, such as hiking, kayaking, rock climbing and surfing, the expansion of the STRONG program for teens will allow the organization to bring these experiences to all age groups and other girls within the community.
“Our programs are designed to help girls and their families enhance their ability to handle stress, manage emotions, and tackle everyday challenges — many of which are exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic — while providing a safe and supportive environment,” said Jamie Collins, Girls Inc. Carpinteria executive director.
“This funding will enable us to expand our programming that promotes overall health awareness through physical activity, nutrition, and nature, and we are grateful to Cottage Hospital Foundation for recognizing this important need and investing in the well-being of our local girls,” Collins said.
The STRONG program was started in 2021 through a grant from the Audacious Foundation to provide enrichment opportunities to girls with a focus on physical education, health and wellness, through skill development and workshops.
For more about Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, call 805-684-6364 or visit www.girlsinc-carp.org.