Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Galindo.
Hi Michael, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My foundation comes from watching my single mother raise seven children with incredible grace, faith, and an unwavering commitment to helping others. She taught us that giving back is a way of life. Taking those values, eight years ago I founded a non-profit ministry dedicated to mentoring and supporting abused CPS youth, ensuring they have the resources, birthdays, and holidays every child deserves.
To sustain and scale that mission, I used my passion for fitness to found and manage two major Houston run clubs. This allowed me to build a powerful community platform that not only supports our ministry but strategically partners with and drives awareness for pediatric cancer, bone marrow donor programs, and local youth charities. For me, leadership is about creating community, driving operational success, and leaving a measurable, positive impact on the people around you.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Operating at a high capacity is something I’ve done for years. Balancing a demanding, full-time professional role alongside running a non-profit and two philanthropic organizations is incredibly challenging, and there are absolutely moments where the pace feels overwhelming.
When I hit those moments, I rely on two things: clear alignment with the mission, and a strong support system. Seeing the tangible fruits of our labor—knowing a child has what they need or a community is rallying together—instantly recalibrates my focus. Additionally, I’ve built an incredible network of support through my faith and running communities.
Managing this balance has taught me how to ruthlessly prioritize, manage my time with extreme discipline, and maintain a level of resilience that allows me to execute at a high level, no matter how heavy the workload.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In late 2018, I founded The Jordan Project out of a deep personal calling to serve at-risk youth. Shortly after launching, I attended a basketball game for teenage girls from a local residential treatment center and noticed they had no family support, no snacks, and no resources compared to the other teams. Even though I was personally going through a career transition and unemployed at the time, I refused to let a lack of resources dictate my capability. I stepped out on faith, stepped up as their coordinator, and managed the logistics to provide for them for the rest of the season.
Recognizing a massive systemic gap, I was determined to scale this initiative. Within a year, I successfully formalized the ministry into an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit, established a Board of Directors, and aligned our strategic focus strictly on serving orphans within the CPS system. Over the last 8-plus years, we’ve mobilized the Houston community to provide continuous mentorship, milestone celebrations, and holistic support. It taught me that with clear vision, relentless execution, and strong community partnerships, you can build a highly impactful organization from the ground up.
Our Mission
The Jordan Project Ministries (JPM) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting foster youth living in Residential Treatment Centers (RTCs). Founded and led by Michael Galindo, JPM has impacted the lives of more than 500 children over the past seven and a half years through consistent compassion, mentorship, and community support. From celebrating birthdays and holidays to simply showing up when no one else will, JPM provides emotional encouragement and a sense of family for children who often feel forgotten. Their mission goes beyond outreach, creating life-changing connections that bring hope, healing, and lasting impact to the youth they serve.
Beyond my corporate operations, I am the founder and executive lead for two major running organizations in Houston: We Run Htown and Axelrad Run Club. What started as a passion for fitness evolved into a massive exercise in community mobilization and brand building.
My role there is entirely personal, operational and strategic. I manage the weekly runs, logistics, coordinate volunteer teams, and build corporate and local venue partnerships to keep hundreds of runners engaged and safe. More importantly, I’ve leveraged these platforms as a philanthropic pipeline—orchestrating large-scale events that funnel direct awareness and financial resources into pediatric cancer research, Title 1 schools, and youth ministries. It has given me invaluable experience in cross-functional leadership, public relations, and executing complex community logistics on a weekly basis. “Driven by Philanthropy, Powered by Community. Together we are building Htown 1 run at a time.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
People who know my work or my public brand see me as a highly extroverted, high-capacity leader. They see a Navy Desert Storm veteran, someone who can scale a non-profit from the ground up, manage multi-million dollar logistics, or stand in front of hundreds of runners in a Houston run club to rally them for a cause. They see an endless engine.
But what surprises most people is that beneath that extroverted, operational exterior, I actually have deeply quiet, reserved moments. I am a twin, and I grew up in a massive family of seven kids raised by a single mom, so I learned early on how to navigate a lot of noise. Because of that, my real secret weapon is my faith and quiet reflection.
I intentionally carve out time to step back, listen, and recharge in silence. People expect me to always be the loud motivator, but it’s actually those quiet, thoughtful moments that give me the perspective and the energy to step back out there and lead effectively.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thejpministries.org
- Instagram: @werunhtownrunclub , @axelrad_runclub
