Helping Homeless People Get Back on Their Feet
Submitted by: Sera Snyder, Executive Director, Philadelphia & Baltimore, Back on My Feet
Back on My Feet, which launched in Philadelphia in 2007, is a nonprofit organization that promotes the self-sufficiency of the homeless population by engaging them in running to build strength, confidence and self-esteem. Members must run Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings and must maintain a 90 percent attendance rating in order to move forward in the program and gain access to job training, employment and housing opportunities.
In 2009, BOMF helped more than 120 members find employment, enroll into job training programs and/or assisted in moving members out of facilities and into independent living. From January to April of 2010, the organization has already helped more than 125 individuals in our different chapters for a total of 245 people who have changed their lives through BOMF in fewer than two years.
The organization has received incredible 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. In addition to Philadelphia, the organization has chapters in Baltimore, Washington DC and Boston, and will launch in Chicago in the fall. More information can be found at www.backonmyfeet.org
It's easy to get your company involved with Back on My Feet. BOMF offers a variety of ways to support their mission including having employees volunteer, participate in sneaker day (allowing them to wear their sneakers to work), run a race on their behalf, donate through the United Way campaign, or have your company become a sponsor of an event. Please email Executive Director, Sera Snyder, for more information: sera@backonmyfeet.org
*If you know of a for-profit member involved with a community initiative or non-profit organization that is looking to gain a little extra exposure, please have them send a two-paragraph overview of the program and their level of participation to tmanco@greaterphilachamber.com |
