>>> WE ARE BACK NOW WITH A UNIQUE PROGRAM IN CAMBRIDGE, MARYLAND, PROVIDING ESSENTIAL TOOLS FOR SCHOOL-AGE KIDS TO BUILD HEALTHY HABITS FOR LIFE. >> WHOO! >> THE DOCTORS REACHED OUT TO ME AS THE DEPUTY HEALTH OFFICER FOR THE DORCHESTER COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO SAY, SINCE THE PANDEMIC HAS HIT, WE'VE BEEN SEEING A LOT OF OUR PATIENTS WHO HAVE GAINED WEIGHT. I CALLED ON THE OWNER OF THE GYM THAT I HAD COME TO AND COACH AT. THE TWO OF US AND A LOCAL SOCIAL WORKER, WE STARTED BRAINSTORMING WAYS THAT WE COULD ALL WORK TOGETHER, AND THAT'S HOW THRIVE WAS BORN. >> IT WOULD BE FREE TO THE COMMUNITY, AND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO COMBINE OUR PASSION FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS INTO SOMETHING THAT WE HOPED WOULD BE FUN AND INSPIRING FOR THE NEXT GENERATION. THE PROGRAM IS TWO DAYS A WEEK. IT'S ONE HOUR EACH DAY. EACH DAY STARTS WITH 30 MINUTES OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND THEN THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK ENDS WITH A MENTAL HEALTH CHECK-IN AND THE SECOND HALF IS THE SAME BUT AROUND NUTRITION. >> IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE NOT PRESCRIBING ONE PARTICULAR DIET. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO HAVE BALANCE IN WHAT YOU'RE EATING OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR LIFE. >> WELL, I DIDN'T NECESSARILY WANT TO JOIN AT FIRST, BUT MY MOM MADE ME JOIN, AND THEN I LOVED IT. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT IF I'M UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT AN ACTIVITY, I CAN JUST ASK THEM ABOUT IT AND THEY'LL ALWAYS TRY AND FIND SOMETHING FOR ME TO DO OTHER THAN THE THING THAT MAKES ME UNCOMFORTABLE. >> THRIVE STANDS FOR TENACIOUS, HARDWORKING, RESILIENT, INDEPENDENT, VIGOROUS, AND EMPOWERED. AND THOSE ARE THE CHARACTER TRAITS WE'RE HOPING TO BUILD IN THE KIDS THAT COME PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM. >> AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT, LIKE, LIFTING WEIGHTS OR RUNNING OR DOING ALL THAT. YOU CAN DO FUN ACTIVITIES. >> EXERCISE IS JUST ONE PART OF THE PUZZLE. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING ALL OF THOSE TOOLS FOR THESE KIDS TO SORT OF LEARN FROM. >> EVERY INTERACTION THAT WE HAVE WITH THE PARTICIPANTS FROM THE FIRST DAY TO THE LAST DAY, TO BE A PART OF ANY EVOLUTION IN THESE CHILDREN'S LIVES IS AN HONOR. JUST A GREAT SENSE OF PRIDE IN PROVIDING THAT SPACE THAT KIDS MIGHT FEEL BRAVE ENOUGH TO GET THEMSELVES TO TRY SOMETHING THEY'VE NEVER DONE BEFORE. >> I LOVE THAT STORY. AND YOU KNOW WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS, TOO, IS YOU CREATE THOSE HABITS FOR LIFE AT A YOUNG AGE, SO IT'S REALLY TEACHING THESE KIDS A LIFELONG LESSON. >> KEEP THE KIDS MOVING. >>> UP AHEAD ON "GMA3," STAYING SAFE AT THE NAIL SALON. >>> AND SHE'S BEEN TAKING US AROUND THE WORLD FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS. SAMANTHA BROWN WILL JOIN US WITH MORE PLACES TO LOVE. DON'T GO ANYWHERE. WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A MOMENT.