RunningBrooke, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting physical activity in underserved communities, has awarded a second round of grants, including $76,550 to benefit Alexandria City Schools and partner organizations working with children in before and after school programs.

"Almost three years have passed since RunningBrooke made its initial partnership with ACPS,” said founder and CEO Brooke Sydnor Curran. “Through our collaborations with both ACPS and our nonprofit partners, we have seen the value and impact of our collaboration increase.”

This round of grants is in addition to the $108,749 already invested into the Alexandria community through RunningBrooke’s Spring 2018 Move2Learn Grant Awards. An additional $5,000 was also awarded to teachers in the newly initiated Mini-Grant Program.

Historically, RunningBrooke has awarded grants once per year, with the funds distributed in late January. Moving forward, grants will be awarded at the start of the academic year to provide maximum impact of RunningBrooke’s Move2Learn program, which aims to increase activity levels of students specifically during the school day.

The 2018–2019 Move2Learn grants were awarded to 13 different programs across 10 ACPS schools and the LINK club at Brent Place Apartments, for a total of $40,050 and eight nonprofit partners, the majority of whom work within ACPS, for a total of $31,500.

RunningBrooke’s 2018-2019 partners include the following ACPS classrooms and programs: ACPS Splash Program, Ferdinand T. Day Elementary (Imagination Playground, STEM Bikes, and Pedals and Pages), Jefferson Houston School (Kindergarten Math and Play), Minnie Howard Campus of T.C. Williams High School (Outdoor Giant Games), Matthew Maury Elementary (Equipment for outdoor movement and learning), Cora Kelly Elementary (Bikes in the Library), LINK Club After School Program (PK Move, YoKid Yoga, All Starz Dance), and ACPS Move2Learn Brain Boost Book Pouches.

Nonprofit grant recipients include: Communities in Schools of NOVA, Friends of Huntley Meadows Park, Girls on the Run of NOVA, Jane Franklin Dance, Local Motion Project, QuinTango and YoKid.

In addition, ongoing teacher mini-grants will be awarded throughout 2018 and 2019. These are requests from teachers for $500 or less that get youths moving during the school day. RunningBrooke anticipates awarding another $10,000 via these initiatives during the 2018-2019 school year. To learn more and apply, visit runningbrooke.org.

“Many thanks to teachers, principals, administrators and nonprofit partners for their thoughtful proposals for getting kids active during the school day,” Curran added. “These are exciting partnerships that will enhance student learning.”

RunningBrooke was founded in 2009 with the purpose of getting underserved kids physically active every day to spark happier, healthier and higher-performing students. To date, RunningBrooke has invested nearly $1.5 million into schools, nonprofit partners and the community.

See www.runningbrooke.org.