Twice a week, girls from the Armstrong Renaissance community, Peter Paul, and nearby East End neighborhoods gather to run, play, and grow together—a first-time experience for many of them. In a community where after-school opportunities for girls are limited, this new Girls on the Run team is filling an important gap: offering a safe, uplifting space to build confidence, connection, and courage.

Thanks to donor support and dedicated coaches, every girl participates at no cost, making this life-changing program accessible to all.

Coach Jennifer has seen this transformation firsthand. Having coached with Girls on the Run in Hampton Roads, she brought her passion for empowering girls with her when she moved to Richmond. Now the Community Life Service Coordinator for Armstrong Renaissance, she knew immediately that this program could offer something meaningful to the girls in her new neighborhood.

“I wanted to provide a safe and supportive space where girls could develop self-confidence and positive social skills,” Jennifer shares. “For some of them, Girls on the Run has been their first after-school opportunity right here in their own community.”

And the growth she’s seeing? It’s powerful.

“I’ve seen them step outside their comfort zones, speak up more, and celebrate their accomplishments—big and small,” she says. “One girl didn’t even want to walk through the door at our first practice, and now the others make sure she never misses a day. They’ve become a sisterhood.”

Peter Paul has played an essential role in helping this team thrive. Sharon Burton, Director of Education at Peter Paul, says the partnership is a natural fit.

“Peter Paul’s mission is to support East End families and educate their children,” Sharon explains. “Because we already provide youth programming in this community, we’re delighted to partner with GOTR. Their focus on confidence and life skills aligns beautifully with our holistic youth development work.”

Sharon has noticed growth, too: “The girls are showing more willingness to try new things, speak up, and take on challenges they once hesitated about. One even said she feels more athletic now.”

And when the girls are asked what Girls on the Run means to them, their answers say it all:

It brings them joy.
It gives them hope.
It fills them with confidence.
It helps them do hard things. 

With support from our coaches, community partners like Peter Paul, and generous donors, these girls are proving that when you give them a safe space and someone who believes in them, they rise and move mountains.