Chanel Henderson, founder of Girl Grind 24/7, received a 2024 Nation of Neighbors℠ empowerment award and a $5,000 grant.
As a mom of two daughters and an educator, Chanel recognized that all too often middle-school girls’ sense of self is influenced by outside sources. Chanel’s passion to help girls realize that they can become whoever they decide and fulfil their dreams inspired her to start Girl Grind 24/7. Girl Grind’s mission is to prepare a generation of limitless female leaders.
Centered on the three pillars of Academic Excellence, Safe and Secure Relationships, and Service with Purpose, Girl Grind 24/7 provides middle-school girls with the resources and opportunities to build self-esteem internally. As Chanel shared, “We’re closing the confidence gap. We’re teaching girls early on that there are no limitations on what they have inside of them and what they can accomplish.”
In its first year, Girl Grind 24/7 has expanded to four middle schools in Charlotte, North Carolina. Chanel realizes the importance of building partnerships and collaboration to provide a network of support for and long-term investments in the girls. “It takes a village. Building partnerships with like-minded people and organizations—that’s a huge long-term goal,” Chanel said.
One of Girl Grind 24/7’s most impactful ongoing partnerships is with Charlotte Family Housing, a local family shelter. Last school year, 17 girls helped organize a snack drive in their school to benefit Charlotte Family Housing. The entire school got involved, and they collected nearly 1,000 individually wrapped snacks for children who live at the shelter. As part of the project, Chanel encouraged the girls to “take every opportunity, make an effort, and be intentional about connecting with the person who you’re giving to.”
Chanel will use her $5,000 Nation of Neighbors grant to expand Girl Grind 24/7 to additional schools, purchase hardware and software to support the organization’s growth, expand programming, and continue creating connections. “I would love to get to a point where we can provide scholarships to girls who are going to college and scholarships to go into other leadership programs,” Chanel said.
Girl Grind 24/7 celebrated its first anniversary on October 25, 2024, and it is only getting started in creating future generations of female leaders.
