I originally found this article in Creative Loafing about Back On My Feet, a nonprofit organization that promotes the self-sufficiency of people experiencing homelessness by engaging them in running. You can read the article here and was written by Eric Celeste. Here’s a little bit of what Eric had written:
Well, Back on My Feet Atlanta kicks off tomorrow with a 5:30 am run at St Luke's Episcopal Church on Peachtree Street NE, and I'll be there. Because I've seen first-hand how much this uplifting, structured program helps give folks a sense of purpose and accomplishment. Fact is, I nearly cried every time she came home and told me how her homeless friends would cheer and encourage her when she was tiring at the end of a run, or how one of her running partners was no longer there because he'd finally gotten a job and was moving into his own place. And every one of the participants credited BOMF with helping them achieve these goals.
This is a pretty cool program. I agree with the structured program and if running is the way, then let there be more runners. And the following is from the BOMF press release:
Back on My Feet (BoMF), a nonprofit organization that promotes the self-sufficiency of people experiencing homelessness by engaging them in running, will launch their Atlanta chapter on November 11. Thirty men and women experiencing homelessness will begin their journey with BoMF by participating in the group’s inaugural Atlanta run beginning at 5:30 a.m. Atlanta will be the eighth city to gain a BoMF chapter, joining Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Indianapolis and Washington, D.C.
About Back on My Feet
Back on My Feet, which launched in Philadelphia in 2007, is a nonprofit organization that promotes the self-sufficiency of people experiencing homelessness by engaging them in running to build strength, confidence and self-esteem. The organization has chapters in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Boston, Chicago, Indianapolis, Dallas-Ft. Worth and now Atlanta. The Back on My Feet New York City launch is scheduled for April 2012. The organization has received media support, including attention from NBC Nightly News, ABC World News, CNN and The Today Show for its ingenuity in tackling this difficult social issue. More information can be found at backonmyfeet.org.
Good Luck! This is a great start in both running and life.
Thank you for posting! For the non-runner, it's hard to understand how running can help someone who is homeless. They don't understand "runner's high" and the feeling of accomplishment when you tackle a particularly grueling mile. But I think EVERYONE can understand how good it feels to have a group of supporters cheering for you, believing in you, and pushing you to reach your goals. Feel free to come run with us one morning or join us for our first race (hopefully in December). For more info, www.backonmyfeet.org.
ReplyDelete~Simone Walker, Back on My Feet