Isagenix and the ISA Foundation believe in the power of consistent action to truly make a difference. That’s why our commitment to the pursuit of racial equality has continued after donating in 2020 to a worthy nonprofit and declaring our belief in equal treatment regardless of race. We have furthered our efforts with decisive action to support wellbeing in the Black community in the United States.

The Foundation’s $100,000 Grant to GirlTrek

GirlTrek encourages Black women to harness the power of activism and fitness to improve their health and the world.

One of our most recent actions is awarding a $100,000 grant to GirlTrek, a national nonprofit organization that’s already made a significant impact on improving the health of Black women in the United States. Using a combination of walking campaigns and education programs focused on wellness, civil rights, and Black history, GirlTrek addresses the root causes of illness in the Black community: inactivity, isolation, and injustice.

Recognizing that more than 80% of Black women in the U.S.* are overweight or obese, Girl Trek empowers them to drive social change while becoming healthier in the process. The nonprofit’s work includes making neighborhoods safer so Black women can be active without fear, organizing marches for civil rights causes, supporting community walks, and providing healthcare resources for the Black community. Last year, GirlTrek hit a significant milestone: having 1 million Black women enlisted in the GirlTrek movement.

“We need more allies and partners like the ISA Foundation who not only stand with us — but invest in us,” said Vanessa Garrison, co-founder, and chief operating officer of GirlTrek. “The funding from the foundation will help provide the on-the-ground support and programming needed to serve Black women globally.”

The ISA Foundation grant to GirlTrek will support two GirlTrek programs:

GirlTrek walking to promote equality and wellness for Black women.

  • Expanding the GirlTrek Care Crusaders Support Lifeline: In response to the global pandemic, GirlTrek launched the GirlTrek Care Crusaders Support Lifeline, a pilot group of doctors, therapists, and other health experts trained to accept calls from Black women dealing with isolation, loneliness, domestic abuse, or thoughts of suicide. GirlTrek plans to scale this lifeline by creating a network of 1,000 trained Black volunteer health workers who can become a safety net for Black women around the country and beyond.
  • Helping Black women develop the lifesaving habit of walking every day: GirlTrek will organize Saturday morning walks across America powered by 10,000 trained neighborhood captains to help Black women jumpstart and sustain a habit of walking. This effort will include visiting city, state, and national parks as well as historically Black colleges and universities so participants can connect with, educate, and inspire each other.

Find out more about Girltrek. 

 

 Other Foundation Partners’ Efforts to Strive for Racial Equality

According to a report by the National Library of Medicine, Black households experience food insecurity at twice the rate of white households. There is also a negative disparity of wellness education courses available in minority communities due to location and lack of funding. Considering this reality, many of our grant partners have already been serving Black communities by striving to provide nutrition and wellness education for all, regardless of race, during times of crisis.

Founder and SERV Int. CEO, Steve Kasha and Adili Kea bringing IsaKids to children in need during the pandemic.

SERV International, for example, has sought to widen access to healthy food by distributing donations of Isagenix products to an inner-city community in Atlanta, Georgia.

“Distributing these products around the community is huge, especially because they’re so healthy,” said J.J. Hines, a local teacher. Hines teaches prekindergarten and is the first Black man to be recognized as Teacher of the Year at Barack Obama Elementary School in Atlanta. “In my community, healthy snacks aren’t always available. Some families don’t even have a blender.”

Hines partnered with SERV to distribute Isagenix shakes, blenders, and ISA® Kids Super Smoothie to members of his community, going door to door to provide healthy options that they might not have otherwise had access to.  Watch SERV’s coverage of these life-saving deliveries here.

Georgia teacher, JJ Hines delivering IsaKids healthy snack shakes to his students with SERV.

Isagenix and the ISA Foundation know there’s still much work to be done. Join us as we continue our efforts to support the pursuit of racial equality with our foundation partners. Follow the ISA Foundation on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter to get updates on the impact the foundation is having with the help of your donations.

 

 

 

 

 

*CDC, 2019
*Health United States, 2018