October 28, 2025
Griffith, IN (October 2025) – Girls on the Run Northwest Indiana, a nonprofit that empowers young girls, announced that it has changed its name to Girls on the Run Indiana Crossroads (GOTR INC).
In 2024, GOTR INC expanded its service area from ten to twenty-one counties. The new service area covers the following counties: Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Newton, Jasper, Starke, Pulaski, Benton, White, Carroll, Warren, Fountain, Vermillion, Parke, Montgomery, Putnam, Vigo, Clay, Sullivan, Owen, and Greene. This expansion covers areas to the east and south of the initial service area.
Therefore, GOTR INC is all in the “name” of belonging. “We believe our new name reflects our commitment to all the girls we serve—from the lakefront to the cities to the rural communities,” said Jill Schlueter-Kim, executive director of GOTR INC. “We see you. We believe in you. We want you here. We hope you will join us in celebrating our new service area and our new name!” GOTR INC already has several teams in these new counties, and they look forward to growing their reach with a name that reflects both Northwest and West Central Indiana.
“When Girls on the Run Northwest Indiana applied to expand our service area, our hope was to bring Girls on the Run not to more areas on paper, but into the homes and lives of girls and families across the state. That means more girls gaining confidence, building friendships, and learning they can accomplish anything,” Schlueter-Kim said.
GOTR INC continues to advance its mission of inspiring girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident during a pivotal time as today’s girls are facing a confidence crisis. According to survey findings reported in the 2023 Girls’ Index by Ruling Our Experiences, overall rates of 5th- to 12th-grade girls’ confidence have dropped from 68% in 2017 to 55% in 2023, with 5th- and 6th-graders reporting the most significant declines in confidence and self-perception. Participants in the GOTR program build confidence as they prepare for and complete a 5K celebratory event. In a spring 2025 end-of-season survey capturing results from GOTR INC, 95% of girls said they were more confident, and 96% of coaches said that participants on their team were more confident.
Schlueter-Kim added, “Girls on the Run INC has served more than 24,000 girls since our opening in 2007. With research-based curricula and comprehensive national coach training, GOTR INC is meeting the needs of today’s girls.
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About Girls on the Run Indiana Crossroads
Founded in 2007, Girls on the Run Indiana Crossroads (GOTR INC) offers after-school empowerment programs designed for girls in 3rd to 8th grades. The nonprofit helps girls build confidence, increase their level of physical activity, and learn essential life skills. Facilitated by trained volunteer coaches, the research-based curriculum explores core topics relevant to 8- to 13-year-olds, including managing emotions, expressing empathy, and standing up for ourselves and others. The program includes a Community Impact Project and culminates with a 5K Celebration. GOTR INC is one of more than 160 councils a part of Girls on the Run International (GOTRI). Since GOTRI was founded in 1996, this national movement has served more than 2.5 million girls in all 50 states and Canada. Visit Girls on the Run Indiana Crossroads to learn more