Back on My Feet (non-profit organization)

Back on My Feet

Back on My Feet Logo
Motto Transforming Lives One Mile At A Time
Formation July 3, 2007
Legal status 501(c)3 Non Profit Organization
Headquarters Philadelphia PA, U.S.
Region served
Atlanta, GA, Austin, TX, Baltimore, MD , Boston, MA, Chicago, IL , Dallas, TX Indianapolis, IN, Los Angeles, CA, New York City, NY, Philadelphia, PA, Washington, DC, San Francisco, CA (November 2016)
CEO
 Katy Sherratt
Mission Back on My Feet combats homelessness through the power of running, community support and essential employment and housing resources.
Website backonmyfeet.org

Back on My Feet (BoMF) is a national non-profit organization that combats homelessness through the power of running, community support and essential employment and housing resources. The organization was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States in 2007 and as of March 2016 has chapters in 11 US cities, with a 12th launching in San Francisco, CA in late 2016. There are continued plans for expansion both within the United States and internationally. Katy Sherratt serves as Chief Executive Officer. Back on My Feet is privately funded and it's 2016 operating budget is $6.5 million. The organization’s National Board of Directors and National Partners help drive the success of Back on My Feet through financial support, employee engagement and management expertise. Back on My Feet takes a unique and innovative programmatic approach to solving homelessness and through creative engagement practices has brought thousands of new supporters to this critical social issue.

National Board of Directors

The input and expertise of the Back on My Feet National Board is integral to the success of the organization. National Board Members run with the local teams, share their networks, engage their companies and are advocates for the organization and remain passionate towards transforming lives one mile at a time.

National & Select Local Partners

As of March 2016, Back on My Feet's national partners include:

As of March 2016, Back on My Feet's select local partners include:

Vision

Back on My Feet seeks to revolutionize the way society approaches homelessness. The organization’s unique running-based model says that if you first restore confidence, strength and self-esteem, individuals are better equipped to tackle the road ahead and move toward jobs, homes and new lives. For all in need, the organization aims to provide: practical training and employment resources for achieving independence; an environment that promotes accountability; and a community that offers compassion and hope.

Program & Impact

Operating in 11 major cities coast-to-coast, Back on My Feet uses running and community to motivate and support individuals every step of the way from homelessness to independence. The organization’s success is measured not only by the health impact of miles run, but also by how many individuals obtain education, employment and housing.

Back on My Feet recruits members at homeless and residential facilities around the country and begins with a commitment to run three days a week in the early morning. After 30 days in the program, members with 90% attendance earn the opportunity to move into the second phase of the program called Next Steps, which provides educational support, job training programs, employment partnership referrals and housing resources.

In Next Steps, members work with BoMF program staff to develop a personal road map to independence. Each member attends financial literacy classes and job skills training provided through partnerships with our corporate partners. Members can earn financial assistance to remove barriers to employment and housing such as work supplies, transportation and security deposits. Members who achieve employment and housing become Alumni Members. Within six months of becoming a Back on My Feet Alumnus, 90% of members maintain their employment, 60% receive a wage increase and 20% achieve a promotion.

Since launching in 2007, Back on My Feet has served more than 5,500 individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness and engaged more than 100,000 volunteers and supporters. At any given time, 80% of Back on My Feet members are participating in its Next Steps program, working to secure employment and housing. Members have run a collective 500,000 miles and obtained more than 3,500 jobs and homes. Within six months of becoming a Back on My Feet Alumnus, 90% of members maintain their employment, 60% receive a wage increase and 20% achieve a promotion.

What’s more, every $1 invested in Back on My Feet returns nearly $2.50 to the local community through increased economic output from employment and reduction in costs for shelter, medical services, and incarceration and addiction treatment. This economic impact study has been validated by an independent consulting group.

History

Back on My Feet started at 5 A.M. in late June 2007. Every morning, founder and avid runner Anne Mahlum waved hello and ran past a group of homeless men. In a few weeks, Mahlum decided to contact Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission, the homeless shelter where these men were living, and ask Executive Director Richard McMillen if she could invite the men to join her on her runs. He agreed, and the first run took place on Wednesday, July 3, 2007 with a group of nine individuals ages 28–57, who were hoping to move their lives forward both physically and spiritually through running.[1]

Structure

Back on My Feet has a centralized management model – the National Headquarters oversees the local chapters, maintains centralized fiscal control, provides overall strategic direction and defines program, marketing and operational guidelines. Headquarters also defines and manages growth into new markets and provides functional services to chapters including human resources, finance, data analysis and communications. This allows chapter teams to focus on delivering the program, meeting their local financial and programmatic goals, and building and managing local partners and events. While Back on My Feet has one National Board of Directors, which holds fiduciary responsibility, each chapter has an independent local Advisory Board and often a Young Professionals Board, to provide support for fundraising, local events and program implementation. Back on My Feet has over 50 employees nationwide with three to six employees in each market. Our operating model seeks to reduce financial risk and build a consistent program, brand and experience in each chapter while benefiting from shared services and economies of scale.

References

  1. ↑ USA Today. "Running program gets homeless residents on track emotionally, physically" http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-07-21-homelessrunners_N.htm

External links

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