Thank you, Jumpstart, for encouraging more girls to become active through You Grow Girl
As a charity dedicated to youth development and sports programs for low-income youth, Beat the Streets is proud to offer You Grow Girl, a fun and unique resiliency-building and combat sports program for girls aged 13-18 across the Greater Toronto Area. Led by professional coaches and athletes, You Grow Girl combines combat-based fitness classes with experiential learning activities to help girls develop the tools and growth mindset they need to successfully navigate adolescence, transition to adulthood, and realize their full potential.
Empowering girls through combat sports
Youth development programs are essential for fostering healthy, confident, and resilient girls. We aim to address the early dropout rates and barriers experienced by girls in sports. In addition, social-emotional activities and mental health support contribute to their academic achievement. These comprehensive benefits are crucial for advancing education and empowering girls to lead active, fulfilling lives.
“You Grow Girl has resulted in an increase in participation in sports that are traditionally perceived to be for males only. We have developed after-school and lunch programs for girls that are continuing to grow in popularity. Now we have a girl’s boxing program twice a week at lunch, girls-only weight training twice a week at lunch, and a ‘Miss-Fits’ exercise and empowerment group that runs twice a week after school.”
Heartfelt thanks to Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities
Heini Davies of Jumpstart Charities and Coach Neal of Beat the Streets enjoy a You Grow Girl class at Emery CI.
As we approach the end of the school year, we want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities. Their generous support has made it possible for us to run three of our You Grow Girl combat sports and resiliency-building programs. This initiative has touched the lives of 65 girls across Harbord Collegiate Institute and Emery Collegiate Institute in Toronto, leading to a significant increase in participant engagement, empowerment, and the number of regularly active girls.
We are especially grateful to have been able to host Heini Davies, Regional Manager, GTA of Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, at one of our You Grow Girl classes in action at Emery Collegiate Institute. It was an incredible opportunity for us to showcase the positive impact of the program firsthand. Having Heini visit allowed us to connect with our donors on a deeper level, demonstrating our commitment to empowering young girls through sports. We are immensely thankful for their support and for taking the time to witness the positive experiences our program offers to these inspiring young women.
In their own words
In the videos below, we learn about the impact these programs are having from Elizabeth Crisostomo, a teacher at Emery Collegiate Institute, and Natalie Villeneuve, one of our You Grow Girl facilitators.
About Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities
Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities is a national charity committed to ensuring kids in need have equal access to sport and recreation. With an extensive national network of more than 1,000 grantees and 289 local chapters, Jumpstart helps eligible families cover the costs of registration, transportation, and equipment. It also provides funding to selected organizations for recreational infrastructure and programming. Supported by Canadian Tire Corporation, Jumpstart has provided more than 2.7 million opportunities for Canadian kids to get in the game since 2005. We are grateful for their partnership in helping us create a brighter future for low-income youth in the GTA.
About Beat the Streets:
At Beat the Streets, our mission is to advance the education of low-income children and youth in the Greater Toronto Area through fun and unique sports, life skills, and employment-based development programs. Since 2015, we have served over 28,000 young individuals through our Wrestle 4 Fun, Level Up, You Grow Girl, Work It (Summer Jobs), and Volunteer programs, providing them opportunities to develop their physical, mental, and social well-being. We believe in empowering the next generation by breaking down barriers and creating pathways to success.
Join us in our mission to impact youth:
Join us in making a difference by supporting our cause and learning more about how you can contribute to the education and growth of children and youth in need. Together, we can shape a brighter future for all.
