Getting Active in the Community: FITT-RX

The story of FITT-RX begins when two trainers—Jill and Jennifer—bumped into each other while personal training at a gym in their hometown of Elmhurst, Illinois. At the time, they were each bootstrapping their own fitness businesses—Jill a neighborhood boot camp and Jennifer an in-home personal training business. The two soon realized they had both adopted similar training styles that were carefully customized to their clients’ needs, and proved to be popular in their community. As a result of this fateful interaction, they decided to merge their businesses, and so FITT-RX was born.

FITT-RX grew from Jill and Jennifer’s strong community ties, so it’s fitting that they’ve made it a priority to give back to their community through their business. By sponsoring, hosting and participating in events and fundraisers, FITT-RX has been able to donate thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours to local charities. “Giving back to our community is incredibly important to us. We believe, when running a business, it’s essential to show support toward community needs and to be pioneers of unity,” the co-owners explain.

Jill and Jennifer are also active members of the Elmhurst Wellness Team, an organization focused on educating and inspiring the community through public outreach events and digital communication platforms. The team is made up of local health and wellness professionals working to support community members in reaching their wellness goals, while also collaborating with local businesses to fundraise for non-profits.

In addition to being active in their community, Jill and Jennifer keep the activism going in their own studio. Every year, FITT-RX hosts a Fall Fashion Show in conjunction with Fleet Feet Sports. The show proceeds go to support a local charity event—the No Frills Fun Run—that donates 100% of proceeds to help a family in need each year. Despite the run being held in February (often complete with snow, sleet and cold), the incredible community support makes it one of the warmest events in Elmhurst.

When asked why they make giving back such a high priority for their business, Jill and Jennifer responded: “When our business helps local non-profit organizations, the responses from our clients are extremely positive. They want to help too; they want to know what they can do to get involved. The buzz goes around town about the organizations we help and, in turn, builds awareness about the needs of our community.”