It’s the fifth day of my annual 12 Days of Charitable Giving. Each of the 12 charities that I’ll be featuring in the series was suggested by a reader as a charity that could use a boost this holiday season. I’ll be posting one a day for – well, 12 days (I’m clever that way).
Our fifth charitable organization is Back on My Feet. The organization was founded in 2007 by Anne Mahlum in 2007. Anne used to run in the mornings and saw a group of homeless men in Philly on her runs. One day, she decided to invite the guys to run with her. She started out with nine runners. Today, there are about 600 participants.
The idea behind the organization is to promote self-sufficiency among the homeless by engaging them in running as a means to build confidence, strength and self-esteem. It starts out by focusing on the run but then progresses to educational and job training opportunities. Additionally, each member has the opportunity to earn $1,250 in financial aid to assist in their efforts toward self-sufficiency.
Originally located in my town, Back on My Feet now has chapters in Philly, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Boston, DC, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and New York.
If you follow the blog, you know that I am a runner. I started out trying to run a mile – and couldn’t do it. I tried again. And again. And I got better. Last month, I ran a half marathon and I’m signed up (gulp) for a full marathon next year. I love the sense of accomplishment that I get when I run – whether it’s 5 miles, 8 miles or 12 miles. Sometimes it’s hard to get motivated but once I’m done, I am very proud of myself – every single time. So I *get* what Back on My Feet is about. It’s about setting goals and making an effort and reaching the finish line. And that’s a tremendous accomplishment. And I love that about this organization. It’s not a handout, it’s a challenge. And it deserves your support.
You can make a donation by clicking here. You can also mail a check to:
Back on My Feet
1520 Locust St. Suite 804
Philadelphia, PA 19102
A search at irs.gov (which I highly recommend any time you are considering making a donation) confirms that Back on My Feet is on the IRS list of charitable organizations as a public charity.
For tax tips to keep in mind when making charitable gifts, check out this prior post.
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