MORE ABOUT
Bel Inizio, which means "Beautiful Beginnings" in italian, is a nonprofit based in Houston, Texas working to empower women to build up self-esteem and confidence by fostering positive life changes through fitness, nutrition, and goal setting. Theresa Strong founded Bel Inizio in 2015 in efforts to assist women in regaining confidence after, or during, moments of difficult transition by creating a space for them to prioritize themselves, their health, and their ambitions. Since our founding, we've continued to grow and have helped over a thousand women accomplish their first 5K, and see themselves in a new light.
Bel Inizio takes new athletes through an 8-week program where together we work on making healthier habits for ourselves like journaling, and learning about nutrition and fitness. The safe space we create during our program is meant to not only to learn how to prioritize and know themselves, but to also give our new athletes a brand new community of support that grows with them. After the 8-week program, graduate athletes are welcomed into our Beyond the Finish Line Program, where we provide them opportunities for connection, resources, and more.
Our program shows each woman that they matter, regardless of what they have faced in their lives. With the help of local partnering agencies, Bel Inizio trains along side our new athletes towards building a healthier, self-compassionate mindset that drives them to complete their first 5k race and prepare for the ultimate race - the race for a better life.
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We are always in need of volunteers! See below how you can be a part of our journey, and help women gain their confidence back!
Questions about Volunteering?
Contact our Program Director!
Volunteer with the Foundational Program
At the heart of what we do is our foundational program. This program is eight week long and is facilitated at several agencies around the greater Houston area. We conduct sessions, which run twice a week for approximately one and half hours, on a pre-determined schedule.
Volunteers can come and participate in one session during a season, or all 16! Any time a volunteer comes, it is encouraging and fun for the participants. New faces make for new conversation and expanding community, and they show the participants that people care about their well-being. They know that the Bel Inizio staff is invested in them, but as a volunteer, you have the opportunity to make them feel even more cared for.
You do not have the be a runner, as most of our participants are walkers, and they love having buddies to chat with. Volunteers may also be the “sweeper” for the group, or the person at the very end of the pack who makes sure everyone gets to the designated end area safely.
The capstone 5K is a special and amazing time! Volunteers can come out to the race, either by registering themselves to walk or run in the race, or to help with our gathering and to cheer on participants at the finish line. We make a big deal of the races because it is a capstone to our program, and volunteers have a lot of opportunity to make a big impact.
In addition to the 5K race, Bel Inizio plans a graduation for each of the 8-week programs, where we acknowledge all those who have been part of the program and made it special.
Volunteer at a Beyond the Finish Line Event
Beyond the Finish Line is our graduate and community program, providing support, resources, and events to those who have graduated from the Foundational Program. While Bel Inizio maintains a list of resources and agencies who provide resources for individuals in need, there is still opportunity for volunteers!
In order to align with Bel Inizio’s mission, Beyond the Finish line events are focused on something that relates to health, wellness, and/or confidence. We welcome your ideas for future Bel Inizio BTFL events, and if submissions are not a good fit for the greater community, we are happy to add you to our resource list for individuals.
Event Volunteers
Bel Inizio hosts events throughout the year- from fundraisers to community events, we have a lot of great opportunities! We’d love to have you join us.
Our yearly events include:
- A concert hosted by musical group Backspace
- Birdies for Bel Inizio
- Soul to Sole
- Giving Thanks
- Community Events (Health fairs, running events, and women’s empowerment or women centered event) which generally include setting up a table and telling others about Bel Inizio.
Event volunteers are just another great example of how Bel Inizio runs on community. Even if you can only make one event during the year, we’d love to have you!
Volunteer Coaches
As we are growing and expanding, volunteer coaches are vital to the success of the organization. These coaches are people who can step in for a season and coach one of our teams. With the help of volunteer coaches, more people will have access to the Bel Inizio program.
Overall, volunteer coaches help us with leading the foundational program and coaching participants through their training and activities
Volunteer Coaches have some additional requirements because of the seriousness of their undertaking. If all qualifications are met and someone is interested in being a volunteer coach, they will be provided with material and training, then assigned a group.
Volunteer to lead a Special Activity
At Bel Inizio, we encourage many different kinds of fitness and nutrition. We believe that a healthy lifestyle contributes to better self-confidence and self-esteem, and we recognize that not everyone will find running and walking fulfilling. We try to introduce multiple activities into Bel Inizio sessions to enhance the experience and expose participants to new workouts. We also recognize that the best experience is when we have professionals come teach these workouts.
Special activity volunteers are a big part of our community that enables us to do more for our people. We are so grateful for everyone who volunteers their time to come and add variety and excitement to our programs.
