Episode 16: Tackling Homelessness One Mile at a Time with Back On My Feet

This episode is a special one featuring Back on My Feet, an organization using running to address homelessness. (Yes, you read that right!). While not a natural pairing in most people's minds, the fact is running can be an incredible tool for confidence building, goal setting, and community - all necessary skills for those transitioning out homelessness and into better lives for themselves.

Back on My Feet, a national organization operating in 12 major cities coast to coast, combats homelessness through the power of running, community support and essential employment and housing resources. The organization's vision is that that if you first restore confidence, strength and self-esteem through running, individuals are better equipped to tackle the road ahead and move toward employment, independent housing, and new lives.

But running is really only the start of what Back on My Feet does. By providing members with job training and employment skills, job readiness programming, financial literacy classes, and access to employment and independent housing opportunities, Back on My Feet is actually addressing a number of root causes of homelessness, all while providing a community of teammates in the form of a three-times-a-week running group.

This week's interview with Grace Foster, the Back on My Feet DC chapter's Director, will provide listeners with an understanding of:

Back on My Feet's model and impact, both locally and nationally

Who Back on My Feet serves and why

What some of the core, practical challenge are facing individuals who are seeking to transition from homelessness to independent living

The variety of services Back on My Feet provides

Why 5:45AM runs really aren't so bad!

How you can help Back on My Feet's work - even if you're not a runner

In addition to this interview, today's episode also includes an update from Season 1 interviewee Shared Nation - the organization building a community of thousands that is combining its resources to gain clout and solve big global problems. Shared Nation has an amazing new campaign launching for any nonprofit seeking funding (which is every nonprofit!) and anyone looking for a fun, innovative way to engage in philanthropy. Stay tuned to the end of this episode for more info.

Links to this episode's resources include:

https://www.backonmyfeet.org/

https://dc.backonmyfeet.org/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=LBtyydzyu1Q

https://dc.backonmyfeet.org/calendar

https://dc.backonmyfeet.org/event/dc-2017-blue-green-bash

https://www.sharednation.org/

https://www.sharednation.org/pages/project-submission

http://soyouthinkyoucangive.com/episode-9-shared-nation/