Back On My Feet

Have you ever gone for a run on a challenging day and felt the positive effects? Do you look to a supportive community of family and friends for guidance during difficult times? Have you ever set a goal and accomplished it through hard work and determination?

At Back on My Feet, it's what we do each and every day: use running to engage indvidiuals experiencing homelessness and challenging situations in an effort to help move their lives forward. Through the discipline of sport and the support of a positive community, we help our members achieve their goals - in both running and life.

By maintaining at least 90% attendance on the Monday/Wednesday/Friday runs, members enter the Next Steps phase of the program. At this time, we provide our members with a detailed case management goal plan and access to educational opportunities, job training programs, job placement assistance and financial aid in order to accomplish their goals.

Take Chris H., for example.

Chris joined Back on My Feet just over a year ago as a resident of Emery House, a transitional shelter for homeless men who are employed. He ran his first marathon at age 26, but under strikingly different circumstances from most runners: his race course was within prison walls.

Chris was serving a 14 year prison sentence for a serious crime committed as a young adult. While incarcerated, he grew frustrated with doctors’ attempts to treat his depression with medication, and found that physical exercise made him feel more energetic, more positive, and gave him hope for a new start. Running and yoga helped him recreate himself, an experience he hopes to bring back to current inmates.

Although he found himself homeless upon his release, he quickly found community and family in his participation with BoMF. He has completed numerous races, including the SunTrust National Marathon, the 20in24 Lone Ranger Ultra Marathon, Ragnar Relay DC and the Baltimore Running Festival Marathon. Through his participation with Back on My Feet, Chris was able to obtain his yoga certification. He teaches yoga in addition to a part time sales job, and hopes to open his own yoga studio in the near future.

Back on My Feet has helped Chris and many others become engaged in running as a means to overcome negative forces and help move their lives forward.  If you’re interested in becoming a part of the Back on My Feet family or to just learn more, please visit http://www.backonmyfeet.org or e-mail Gretchen@backonmyfeet.org.

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