Firefighter trying to save kids from obesity with donation to Fort Mill foundation

Body by Brady, owned by a Fort-Mill based personal trainer, has donated $1,000 to support fitness efforts in Fort Mill schools.

Each month, Body by Brady in Fort Mill hosts a charity workout for the Fort Mill Fitness Initiative, a nonprofit created by owner Matt Brady.

The Initiative raises funds to support fitness efforts in Fort Mill schools. This month’s charity workout raised $1,000 for the Foundation for Fort Mill Schools, a not-for-profit organization that provides financial support of classroom projects, scholarships, professional development and school supplies, a release states.

Brady said he applied in October for 501c3 nonprofit status for the initiative, which is pending. The Fort Mill Fitness Initiative is registered with the S.C. Secretary of State as a charity.

The money donated by Body by Brady will help support physical eduction programs and help cover athletic fee costs for Fort Mill students, Brady said. Fort Mill students pay a $100 athletic fee for each sport they play. The fees help pay for coaches’ stipends and game travel.

“I started the Fort Mill Fitness Initiative to give back to community I grew up in,” Brady said in a prepared statement.

“As a personal trainer, fitness is important to me and with obesity being a growing issue in the world today I wanted to help combat it from the beginning by empowering the youth in the community to live an active lifestyle from a young age. As a member of Body by Brady, there is nothing better than a charity workout. You get to improve your health while also helping out a great cause at the same time.”

Brady, a firefighter in Charlotte, said he sees health problems in the community.

“A lot of times as a firefighter we see people when it’s too late,” he said. “We want to start affecting kids at a younger age.”

To sign up for a $10 charity workout, visit Body by Brady at 2128 Carolina Place in Fort Mill or sign up online. The next charity workout is at 9:15 a.m. on Dec. 16. Proceeds benefit the Fort Mill Fitness Initiative.

Starting Jan. 8, Body by Brady is also hosting a 28-day Get Fit Fort Mill fitness challenge. For every check-in on Facebook during the challenge, the company will donate to the Fort Mill Fitness Initiative, Brady said. Participants get 28 days of training, prize opportunities, meal prep, nutrition guidance and more. Registration can be done online.

“We’re trying to give as much back as we can,” he said.

A Fort Mill health coach is also raising money for Body by Brady’s Fort Mill Fitness Initiative.

Kicking off Jan. 8, Kristi Whitaker, 42, a health coach in Fort Mill, is hosting a Double Time 30-Day Challenge. The challenge will ask participants to work out and eat healthier. Interested families need to sign up by Jan. 2.

Whitaker, a mom of three sons in Fort Mill schools and a certified health coach, is donating $25 to the Fort Mill Fitness Initiative for each family that enrolls in the challenge.

“I want my children to be involved in sports and I would love for all the children in Fort Mill who would like to play sports to be able to,” Whitaker said.

To participate in the 30-day fitness challenge, families will enroll with a $160 Double Time Annual All-Access Beachbody on Demand and Daily Sunshine Challenge Pack, which includes streaming the Double Time workouts, calendars, an annual membership to Beachbody on Demand’s workout programs and cooking show and more.

The challenge is open to all families.

This story was originally published December 10, 2017 at 11:00 AM with the headline "Firefighter trying to save kids from obesity with donation to Fort Mill foundation."