CrossFit Santa Barbara, the city’s first and longest-running CrossFit gym, is hosting a fundraiser for kettlebells4kids, a nonprofit organization built to educate the public about the growing issue of child homelessness in the country.

The event on Saturday, Nov. 11, will start with athlete check-in at 8:30 a.m.; workout begins at 9:30 a.m. at CrossFit Santa Barbara, 590 E. Gutierrez St, Ste C. Cost is $20 for workout plus five tickets; $10 for either the workout or tickets.

Founded in 2014, kettlebells4kids’ long-term goal is to create and fund in-shelter fitness programs for kids and improve not only their physical strength but also their emotional and social skills.

The average age of a homeless person is 9 years old, and more than 50 percent of homeless children in the U.S. are under 6 years old, CrossFit Snta Barbara reports.

According to Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child, “Three of the most rigorous long-term studies found a range of returns between $4 and $9 for every dollar invested in early learning programs for low-income children.

“Program participants followed into adulthood benefited from increased earnings while the public saw returns in the form of reduced special education, welfare and crime costs and increased tax revenues from program participants later in life.”

Homeless children do not choose their situation and the impact of being homeless is dire.

According to CrossFit, homeless children are: Eight times more likely to be asked to repeat a grade; three times more likely to experience emotional and behavioral problems; and wice as likely to have learning disabilities

CrossFit says, it is our goal, in collaboration with kettlebells4kids, to further our mission to bring fitness to those with financial and lifestyle barriers, as fitness has been proven to improve a child’s ability to learn, reduce social and emotional stress, and positively impact overall physical and mental health.

CrossFit said it also intends to bring awareness to the community that the word homeless does not only apply to adults, and that by coming together, the community can help break the cycle of homelessness by starting with children.

In addition to the morning workout for adults and children, the fundraiser will feature a raffle and a game sponsored by Taffy’s Pizza. CrossFit Santa Barbara will provide breakfast snacks and beverages.

Free childcare will be provided by Bright Horizons Family Solutions. Other sponsors include Alaris Fitness and The SANDBOX.

All funds raised will stay within California, CrossFit said.

—