Getting Fit at Operation Shoestring

At Operation Shoestring, our parent programs address all aspects of a person’s health: physically, mentally, and emotionally. Correspondingly, our Getting Fit classes are focused on many aspects of health beyond physical fitness. This fall and winter parents enrolled in our program are exploring different forms of exercise and learning more about meditation and mindfulness. 

Through two different weeks of gym sessions, parents and Shoestring staff explored aspects of physical fitness, nutrition, and emotional health. In the fall session, the fourteen Shoestring parents enrolled in this semester’s Getting Fit class said they deeply enjoyed having the Xplicit J3 Gym all to themselves and having a certified fitness instructor to guide them through their workouts. In the winter session, a dozen Shoestring parents participated in fitness boot camps at the G.I. Jane Studio X gym.

After each gym session, the trainers led the parents in a “group chat” session where they talk about topics such as involving the whole family in their health journey, parent feelings about their bodies, and issues within our specific Shoestring community like diabetes and high blood pressure.

“It was a struggle, but it was good as well,” laughed parent participant Tamara Ferguson. “It went hand in hand with the healthy eating classes I’ve been taking here. I come from a background of heavier Black people with hypertension and diabetes, and so that’s already in my genetic makeup. The exercise classes really took a lot out of me, but it was for the better. It made me want to make some different changes in terms of working out and having my kids be fit.”

Shoestring parents said it was meaningful not only to have a space to talk openly, but also to have the parent programming staff participate in the spaces and also in the workout sessions alongside them. It really brought them closer to our staff and their fellow parents.

“If I were to tell someone about Operation Shoestring, I would speak very highly of not only the program but also the people. No matter the program you’re trying to offer, if you don’t have the people in place to carry out your vision, then it doesn’t go anywhere. The people here make it even better. They’re relatable,” said Ferguson. “The staff have compassion and are compassionate, sympathetic, and empathetic to the parents, families, and situations we are going through. It’s wonderful.”

By creating an environment that uplifts parents, we’re empowering families to live healthier and self-determined lives. Learn more about how this and other parent programs create an ecosystem of care for children at operationshoestring.org/about and take part in creating that ecosystem of care at operationshoestring.org