Girls on the Run helps young girls to learn to measure their self-worth in a more healthy manner before they enter their difficult teen years. There is a nominal membership fee for participants. There is no fee for schools to host a chapter. Each participating school must provide an outside activity area such as a track or soccer field, as well as a meeting room. Volunteer coaches must be trained and certified by Girls on the Run .
Girls are seven times more likely to be depressed and twice as likely to attempt suicide.
Girls are three times more likely to have a negative body image that can be related to eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia. The Program Girls are different than boys and need programs, particularly in the pre-adolescent years that focus on issues specific to girls. Agencies are beginning to see that the most powerful tool we can provide for our girls is a belief in themselves, that they are capable kids now who will become capable women soon. The agencies that teach and counsel are now incorporating programs especially for girls into those they currently deliver. Setting personal and team goals for sports relate to setting goals in school and life.