Before Back on My Feet, I didn't know what I could accomplish.
I was kind of at like a crossroads...
"Okay, what do I do now?"
Homelessness.
It isn't who a person is, it's a state of being at a point in time.
None of us can survive in this life if you do not have a community backing you.
At Back on my Feet, we use the tool of running to help the homeless.
-It didn't make sense that I could be part of something that beautiful.
-I couldn't run from here to the corner when I first started.
What I saw I could only label as...
magic.
(crowd talking)
You can't convince any individual
of their own potential.
You can show them
the path, the opportunities,
but only the individual can ultimately make that decision.
At Back on My Feet we use community and running as a catalyst to
help individuals achieve self-sufficiency.
We work with individuals who are currently in transitional homeless shelters and
inpatient addiction recovery facilities.
We're very strict when it comes to accountability.
We start at 5:45 a.m. three times a week, Monday Wednesday Friday,
committing to that gives them the self-confidence to achieve their goals
"Who are we?" "Back on my Feet!"
"How far are we going to run?" "Forever!"
So many programs out there are a handout over a table.
Ours is very much about
creating relationships with our members to understand the challenges that
they're facing, to be a support system,
but they are very much a support system
right back to us as well.
it's about being committed to the community and to yourself.
At the end of the day you can't run the tenth mile until you've around the first nine.
Growing up, being in foster homes...
was crazy.
they labeled me emotionally disturbed.
That shattered my world.
By the time I hit my teen years...
I pretty much was in the streets.
That lifestyle led me to doing four and a half years.
Once I got out of prison,
Was I ready?
No.
I have been homeless for quite some time.
This is where it all started.
A fortune's castle.
Right there is where we used to circle up with Back on my Feet.
I was not sure about any of this.
I could literally not run two blocks.
I caught myself saying I can't
and I was like, what?
I think you can.
I started off walking
and then we have the volunteers
who kind of push you.
"okay, let's run to that streetlight."
"okay, let's run to the next street light."
"okay, let's see if we can clear three streetlights."
Next thing you know you're doing a 5k, 10k.
This is the community that I belong to.
If they commit to 90 percent attendance for at least 30 days,
then they get access to what we call
our Next Steps program.
and that's building a resume,
having a mock interview
as well as continued support once they found that employment.
-There's a couple updates I actually want to make to my resume. -Nice.
We sit down with them one on one and create a step by step plan to help them
achieve their individual goals.
The best way out of poverty is education.
I'm coming up on a year at my current place of employment.
This is one of the longest times I've held a job.
Going through the Next Steps program has taught me
to trust in the process.
I've been shedding some mentalities I used to have
while being homeless.
I've learned to enjoy my small victories
This is a milestone.
It makes you appreciate life,
start making new friends...
-I am definitely not the Derek I was five years ago.
I'd seen so many bad things in my life.
I had thought the world was such a bad place.
And eventually I saw how beautiful it was.
I had never been a part of something that was
so genuine.
They didn't care about what I did,
they cared about where I was going.
-I look forward to seeing my brothers.
It definitely changed the way I looked at family and how I looked at community
I know if I do something stupid I gotta answer these dudes.
(laughter)
I just don't believe you. (laughter)
So our members have ran over a million miles to date,
and what's more, since launch,
Back on My Feet has helped over six and a half thousand members find employment and housing.
Over 80 percent of those individuals maintain that employment and
housing for the long term.
This is hard.
Yes, I'm tired.
Yes, I have to go to work in a couple hours.
But I have to get my run in.
That's when commitment comes in.
I've run five New York City marathons,
and I'm currently going to start training for my sixth.
They are accountable, they are dedicated
they're committed and you're making them feel believed in.
You're making them feel like they've got someone behind them that's backing them
Just by asking them for that level of commitment.
That's what we all need to be to be self-sufficient ultimately.
Because of Back on my Feet I can still walk in a
room and hold my head up high.
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