Philadelphia’s street newspaper One Step Away is produced and distributed by the people experiencing homelessness. Each issue, available for a $1 donation, contains inspirational true stories about people experiencing homelessness. This month, One Step Away reports on success stories of those who’ve worked to leave the shelter and attain housing, including Back on My Feet member Claudell Edwards, who writes about his struggle to leave the shelter and how working One Step Away and running with Back on My Feet helped keep him focused and motivated:

I stayed up many nights thinking to myself: When it is finally going to be my turn to leave?

I never in my wildest dreams expected to be in the shelter this long, but things happen for a reason and I am stronger because of it. The experience of independent living had been eluding me for the past couple of months, and I must say that it was becoming very discouraging to say the least.  It seems like the closer I got to leaving, the further it started to look.

Moving dates seemed to come and go so much that I became numb to the whole process.  I had to use all the patience that my Lord has blessed me with to endure my hopes and dreams getting smashed again and again. Even though I was doing everything by the book, it was nerve-racking trying to control my emotions because I would tell my kids that I was moving on certain dates but it would fall through.

It also hurt to see the look in peoples’ eyes who believed in me and looked at me as an example of a person that they considered a leader. I was doing all I could do, but that didn’t seem to be good enough.  The same depression that was consuming me when I first entered into the shelter was back to torture me once again. The monkey on my back was now a full-grown gorilla who seemed to even dwarf King Kong himself.

Also in the April issue of One Step Away:

Matthew Saad Muhammad tells readers why he’s still fighting, this time to raise awareness of issues of homelessness and affordable housing as the spokesperson for One Step Away’s “Knock Out Homelessness” campaign, kicking off with a fundraising event he’ll host April 28. The former light heavyweight champ, member of the Boxing Hall of Fame and Philadelphia icon is working to give people hope, saying: “Even if you’re down, you can always get back up.”

Read more…

We had another great month at Team Sheila Dennis!  This month we have welcomed a lot of new faces and had some familiar faces return to the morning circle. Three new residential teammates joined us: Keeya, Mae, and Eleanor – all three ladies ran a mile on their first day and were doing hill sprints on day two!  We also welcomed back Lynne and Sue who are awesome, long time BoMF volunteers, they will be leading some of our morning runs.  It is great to have them back with the BoMF family!  In addition we welcomed two new non-residential teammates: Cassandra and Brendan, we are happy to see them every Wednesday morning!

The team participated in the Caesar Rodney 5K in Wilmington, DE and it was a great time!  This was Dawn’s first race ever and she ran an amazing race!  She was surrounded by teammates: Sue, Laura, Stephanie, and Shrestha who sang The Eye of the Tiger song to her – what motivation! We are so proud of Dawn.   It was also Shrestha and Laura’s first 5K race, even though Laura has run a few half marathons, I guess she just forgot there were shorter races out there! Jess also ran the 5K, this was his 3^rd time on this course and he had another great race along side of his running buddy Megan who paced him through it.  And with Katie, George, and Sheila cheering right before the finish line – it couldn’t have been a better morning!  This may have been the team’s first race, but it certainly won’t be the last.  They are already planning for the one next month!

Res of the month – Sheila!

Sheila joined the team at the end of the year and has been an inspiration ever since.  She was one of the first woman to raise her hand and say she wanted to train for a race and has been running along side her teammates ever since.  Even after moving out of the shelter at the end of the month, Sheila has continued to keep in touch with the team and made sure to come to our race in Wilmington.  She is a wonderful woman who truly cares about the team and getting Back on Her Feet!  We are so proud to have her on our team.

Non-res of the month – Laura!

Not only is Laura our non-res of the month, she is our coach!  She is the person who wakes us up and gets us moving in the morning.  Laura brings some calming yoga to the circle to make sure we are stretched out and injury free.  She is a wonderful teammate who takes the time to get to know each of the woman and finds a running program that works for them as individuals.  We love having Laura on our team!

“We’re a family now, not just a team, not just a group of people that run together.”

Sam S. grew up in Washington, DC.  Born in 1952 Sam excelled in school, and in running.  He graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1970 where he ran track, specifically the 100, the 440 and the 880 relay races.  He started running track when he was in junior high, but his running had actually started a little bit before that when it first helped him avoid fights with the neighborhood bullies.  Raised in a home that taught pacifism and peace, fighting was never a part of Sam’s nature then, nor is it now.  In school Sam took college prep classes, and after he graduated he began attending Washington Tech, now University of Washington, DC where he studied electronics engineering.  Things were on the right track for Sam, but eventually school bills became unsustainable and he was forced to stop taking classes and find a job to support himself.

He went to work for Hot Shoppes, a pioneer of American fast food that was started by J. Willard Marriott in Columbia Heights in 1927.  Eventually that restaurant would turn into the Marriott hotel chain that we all know today.  During this time Sam, being the industrious man that he is, started his own street vendor business selling hats.  He eventually increased the scope of that business and began selling jewelry also, doing quite well for himself with that business.  However, the 1980s was not a good time for Washington, DC, economically or otherwise.  As the economy became increasingly tight, so did Sam’s vendor business.  He eventually decided to move into the white collar work sector for more stable employment.  He started working at the American Council of Life Insurance where he worked as a clerk, moving his way up to supervisor over the course of seven years there.  This is the path that Sam followed for more than a decade.  Moving to a new job at Prentice Hall, where he worked in their legal and financial departments, he then moved over to Manpower, to do administrative assistant work as a contractor, and finally making his way to the US Postal Service Headquarters.  Sam’s career progressed quite well and life was going according to his plans.

Finally, Sam moved on to start NK Consulting, working on creating small business plans, financial models, as well as connecting suppliers and buyers interested in wholesale purchasing as well as providing a series of other small business services.  Not one to let his dream of a college education fall by the wayside, Sam returned to school to finish his degree.  Beyond that, Sam also attained two master’s degrees in business and information technologies in 2002 from Strayer University.

Sam’s path to Emery House is very different than the normal story that many residents share.  Drugs and alcohol have not played a part in Sam’s life, nor is he fighting the uphill battle of overcoming a past criminal conviction when seeking employment.  Sam is facing what a lot of Americans are facing right now, a tough economy and an even tougher job market.  Yes, there are bits and pieces of good news that have been turning up on the nightly news about job recovery and growth, but it’s been, and still very much is, a difficult situation for many Americans today.

Several years ago Sam’s mother became ill.  He did what any loving son would do, he sold his house and moved in with his mother to care for her.  After a time there became family squabbles over money and the house, and because Sam was not working, caring for his mother prevented him from maintaining fulltime employment, he was eventually forced to leave the house.  All of this happened a little over 2 years ago, and at that time with nowhere to go he found himself staying at the La Casa facility in Columbia Heights.  The trailers he was staying at there were known for being an unpleasant stay for most, and shortly after Sam was able to make his way to Emery House, run by the DC Coalition for the Homeless.  Emery House is what is typically referred to as a work/bed facility.  The residents have to be employed to be staying there.  Sam was fortunate enough to find part time employment at the NCBA as a nutritional aide, which allowed him to make that transition.

After being at Emery House for a few weeks Sam distinctly remembers the day a very tall man made a very interesting presentation to the residents.  Join a morning running team, and by commitment and dedication to doing something different with your life, we will help you access job training and continuing education classes and will help you find a job.  Sam’s first thought was that they were crazy.  He hadn’t run in years, still smoked cigarettes and was 20 lbs overweight.  But the offer was to do something different, to try something that could benefit his life in a variety of ways.  Sam wanted to eat better and lose the extra weight, and the structure that the running program had seemed like it could help him achieve those goals.  However, there was an early speed bump along the way.  In the first Back on My Feet race last year, the GW Parkway Classic 5K 2011, Sam injured his ankle.  “My first thoughts were about quitting,” he said.  He thought that if he couldn’t run then he obviously couldn’t be a part of the team.  That however, was not the case.  Even with a swollen ankle, Sam was able to maintain well over 90+% attendance through his recovery and still to this day he has 95% attendance over a year later.  He wasn’t able to run, but he was out there each and every morning doing the best that he possibly could, and fully participating in the Back on My Feet community. The encouraging words from the volunteers are what kept him there during those injured weeks.  Through it all Sam has been selected as the Emery House team captain, he has run several more races, most recently running in the SunTrust National Half Marathon Relay with Emery House volunteer, Jamie L. and Blair House residential member, Nathaniel P.

Sam’s part time employment at NCBA hasn’t been enough for Sam to make the next step out to independent living.  He’s hoping that will change soon.  Sam recently acquired a job at Marriott Hotels, working in their banquet department.  Marriott has been an outstanding supporter of Back on My Feet.  They have hosted our breakfast launches and our Chapter birthday galas as well!  Sam’s hard work and efforts towards personal progress have been an inspiration to other members, and his work with Marriott is hopefully paving the way for other Back on My Feet members to find gainful employment and overcome the difficult economy.

The thing that I’ve found most remarkable about Sam is his approach to the difficult situations he has faced in life.  Never have I seen a hint of anger, frustration or sadness from Sam.  Not to say that those emotions aren’t felt, but Sam has found a place of calm in his life, in part through the karate and tai chi that he has practiced on and off throughout his life.  “It’s stabilized me through the different changes I’ve gone through in life.  You can control some things, you pass through others, and the bad things in life I’m going through right now I’m just passing through them and not letting them affect me.”  Sam’s current pastimes include chess and backgammon, both of which he is quite skilled at.

“We’re all individuals as we go through life, but I’ve found a sense of team, of community that I can be a part of.  I can relate to others and can be a part of a team where I hadn’t ever found that before.”

With two races taking place in March the team at Blair House certainly covered some miles!  The team first participated in the St. Patrick’s Day 8K hosted by Capital Running Company.  The race took place in downtown Washington, DC starting on the historic Pennsylvania Ave and passing over Constitution Ave and Independence Ave, with a turnaround in front of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.  The weather was perfect for a race and the runners were in good spirits, with dancing and festivities starting before the race even took place!  Several new members have joined the team at Blair House, and made it out to see the race, and the energy of the event have them excited for the upcoming GW Parkway Classic race very soon.

Blair House also took part in the SunTrust National Marathon/Half and Relay that started over at RFK Stadium in Northeast Washington, DC.  Nathaniel P. ran the 13.1 mile relay race with Sam S. (Chapter Member of the Month) and Jamie L. of Emery House.  Will L. ran his second half marathon in the past 6 months(!) and Omar H. would have been taking on his first half marathon except an injury during the St. Patty’s Day 8K is keeping him off of his feet for a little while.  All runners deal with injuries, and the Back on My Feet runners are no different.  The good news is that Allen S. should be back out with the team after recovering from his stress fracture, and hopefully Omar H. won’t be too far behind him.

The Blair House team also participated in the Back on My Feet Birthday Bash, celebrating BoMF’s first year, and numerous accomplishments, here in DC.  Folks were dressed up and ready to go for the night’s dinner and dancing.  Pictures of the event can be found HERE!

Resident member Kevin C. moved into independent housing, while Manny, Kenny C. and Al S. all attended the mandatory Accenture Skills to Succeed Workshop. Manny also was able to use his grant money to pay off EDP dues.

March saw the transition out for Blair House’s team leader, Todd M., with Stephanie Van Arsdale taking over as team leader to help keep the team on track and running some miles! The BoMF Birthday Bash also saw Anastasia Christman be recognized as the outstanding volunteer of the year.  Her consistent efforts and attendance, along with her 15 mile commute and ever cheerful demeanor made Anastasia standout in a room full of amazing and dedicated volunteers who all deserve an award for making Back on My Feet so successful in Washington, DC during its first year.

March has been an incredibly uplifting month for Team RWA! From new res and non-res members in the first week to some stellar attendance throughout the week and on Saturdays; this team has built a solid foundation for the spring season.

The team welcomed Cliff, Omar, Rick, Marcellus, George, Yuseph, and Therion as new res members earlier this month and they have showed tremendous enthusiasm for the team and their training. Tim, Maureen, Kristel, Lisa, Heidi, and Erin came out as new non-res members this month and have added a ton of support into their runs with the team.

Back on My Feet was at the Caesar Rodney Half-Marathon on Sunday, March 27th in Wilmington, Delaware. RWA had a nice turnout with Maurice participating in the Half-Marathon with an overall time of 1 hour 51 minutes while Cliff ran a stellar 5k race close to the front of the pack with a time of 26 minutes! Tim showed up to run a portion of Maurice’s race, but ended up running the entire half-marathon alongside him! Thank you for your support, Tim! Jessie, our Team Coach, was there to cheer everyone on as well!

In other news, RWA participated in an all-for-fun Relay Race against St. John’s on Friday, March 25th at City Hall. Each team had two relay teams compete between the two monuments on the north end of City Hall. While no one kept track of who came in which place, RWA still proved to have some talented res and non-res sprinters.

Our Dragon of the Month is James! He is someone who has consistently attended morning runs. He never fails to show his support for his fellow teammates and has even come out before weekend races to wish the best to the competing runners. James has had perfect attendance since he started with BoMF and has proved that you do not need to be the fastest or run the most mileage to be a crucial member of a team. Way to go, James!

Meet Kelly McCulloch- our newest blogger for Indianapolis.  Kelly is a non-residential member on team Progress House.  In February she heard about Anne’s story,  and found out Back on My Feet was launching in Indianapolis.  She showed up at the March 8^th launch run and was hooked.  Every Wednesday Kelly gets up and runs with the team.  She will be regularly blogging about her adventures.

5:45am is early. No matter who you are. Add being social at that hour with 25 other people is even tougher. But when you’re greeted with smiles, lots of hugs, stretching and camaraderie….5:45am isn’t so bad.

I run with Progress House once a week (although I wish I could run with them all 3 times a week). I slowly learned the guys’ names. I quickly learned the guys’ personalities. I’m amazing at how quickly these guys have picked up a passion for running.

Read more…

March was a busy month for Team BSTAT.  There were multiple races, and Back on My Feet Baltimore celebrated its two year birthday.  On March 13^th, the team ran in the St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock 5K.  The race is known for drawing huge crowds (over 3,000 finishers this year) and having a fast point-to-point course with the first mile being downhill.  Roy T., Kenny M., and Sam M. all joined in and ran well.  Mitch S., BSTAT’s newest alumni, also made an appearance at the race!  They were joined by many BSTAT non rez members including Training Coach Susan C., Chris C., Jon L., Amy C., and Dana O.  It was certainly a great day for a race.

The very next week, BSTAT joined the rest of BoMF Baltimore for a 2 mile run from MCVET to the downtown Maryland Athletic Club.  Everyone donned party hats before starting the run; it certainly made an interesting scene for onlookers!  Once at the MAC, we were served a very healthy breakfast consisting of bagels, cookies, and cupcakes; all perfect post run food.  The celebration continued Friday evening at Christopher’s Place with cake, ice cream, and t-shirt decorating.  Roy T. showed his creative side that evening!

Saturday the 19^th, marked our second consecutive racing weekend.  Roy T, fresh off his 5K went out for a half marathon at the 2011 Nikia’s Nippy Nor’Easter Half Marathon and Relay.  He was looking real focused and confident the morning before, and it showed on race day.  He came through in 2:03 and was very happy with the result.  Although George H. was unable to run, he still pitched in and helped at one of the water stops.  Volunteers are what make races happen!

Even two consecutive weekends of racing were not enough for BSTAT.  We put together a relay team, consisting of Roy T., Kenny M., and Sam M. to go down to Washington DC for the National Half Marathon Relay on Saturday the 26^th.  The relay consisted of two 5 mile legs and a 3.1 mile leg.  At 4:30AM our three runners as well as Race Coordinator Greg S. piled into Social Coordinator Dana O’s car for the trip down.  We joined BoMF DC for a very large cross-chapter circle right before the early 7am start.  Roy T. led off the relay, joined by Greg and Dana.  He would go on to run the entire half marathon, for his second consecutive half in a row, very impressive!  Kenny M., not content with just his 5 mile leg also continued on to get 8.1 miles total.  Sam M. brought the relay in with is strong 5K effort.  Greg, Dana, and Roy were lucky enough to finish just as local legend and overall marathon winner Michael Wardian crossed the finish line.  They are still bragging that they got to run alongside one of the fastest amateur runners in the region!

As March comes to a close training for the Delaware Marathon is ramping up.  We’re all looking forward to warmer weather and the promise of fast times and strong races this Spring!

March 2011

RESIDENTIAL MEMBER OF THE MONTH: ROY T.

Roy, March Member of the Month

Shoe size: 10

Member since: August 2010

Number of Miles accumulated: 510

Best BOMF moment: the National Race

Biggest challenge with running: Stop smoking

Goal in the next three months: Complete Delaware marathon

What do you think about when you’re running?: Nothing

What was your last race and how did you do?: National Race

Favorite Post Race meal?: Pasta

What advice would you give a brand-new runner?: Just show up

“March was huge for Roy, he participated in 3 races, two of which were half marathons, and surpassed 500 miles.  He attritubes a lot of his running success to kicking his smoking habit, and the results have certainly been telling.  Despite running so well, he rarely worries about times and paces.  He is most interested in just getting out there each morning, getting his miles in, and will run with whoever needs a partner that day.  His ever positive attitude and willingness to run all paces have made him a very integral part of team BSTAT.” -Fast Dan Miranda, BSTAT Team Leader

NON-RESIDENTIAL MEMBER OF THE MONTH: MARK M.

Mark, March Member of the Month

Shoe size: 9.5

Member since: January 2011

Best BOMF moment: I’ve never run with a community so each morning is great encouragement!

Biggest challenge with running: before BoMF, it was consistency in training

Goal in the next three months: hopefully to PR at the Lehigh Valley Half Marathon in May

What do you think about when you’re running?: I dream of whirled peas and other global anomalies

What was your last race and how did you do?: The last race was the Baltimore Half–just 9 hours after getting back from our honeymoon.  We weren’t well trained and the race was painful!

Favorite Post Race meal?: a fat omelet with veggies and cheeses.  if hash browns are involved, that’s a bonus.

What advice would you give a brand-new runner?: slowly build on the amount of time you run and soon you’ll be surprised with distances you can cover.

Fact most people would not know about you: when I used to do track and field, I was a thrower and never thought much of running.  I was always amused by the t-shirt stating “why run and puke when you can throw and eat?”

“Mark is one of our newest non-rez members.  Despite only being with the team for two months, he has become a consistent presence at morning runs and other events.  If I ever need a driver for a weekend event, I know who to call!  To become dedicated so quickly just shows how important BoMF is to Mark.  Consistent members who are eager to pitch in are what truly makes a team function.  Mark has been a great addition!  Of course, he is only half of an awesome pair, but you have to tune in next month to hear about the other person!” -Fast Dan Miranda, BSTAT Team Leader

Three classes have now been inducted.  If the evening could be summarized in one word, it would have to be foundation.  Each successive induction has drawn a larger crowd, indicative of an essential key to success – something to stand on.  The BoMF community creates this for each other and this growing alumni network continues to create a standard for success by which to support and challenge each other.  Last night was a living testament to the fact that this foundation is cumulative and continues to aggregate.

Representatives from all three classes were in attendance yesterday evening. Of 21 active alumni, 15 were present.  Old teammates were there to support new ones.  Founding teammates were there to pass on the BoMF legacy.  Teams were there to support other teams.  By the end of the evening, we had woven a new fabric interlaced with 10 new members, further bolstering the BoMF Baltimore foundation.  Both Mitchell Stallworth (BSTAT) and Darius Tabrizi (ARW) were both among the first alumni inducted from their respective teams.  CP had the largest contingent including Michael Fewster, Ricky Penn, Leon Pumphrey, Leonard Thomas and Donnell Williams, many of whom were working and could not be in attendance.  Arnold Shipman, the longest standing res member of BoMF was joined by absentee MCVET teammate Jeff Whitaker and Mike Hoffman from THUMB rounded out the honorees.

Congratulations to the new Alumni, many thanks to Rob Carfagno, Emily Bendann, Erin Dorrien, Dan Miranda, Brian Carlson, Christina Gallo and Sarah O’Connor who have stepped up to support their teammates as boosters, and kudos to Jennifer Manning, Todd Gaddy, Dan Miranda, Sue Demirkaya and Diane Amin who presented their teammates and touched the room with team remarks.  Thank you also to Charlie Tiller, Carlos Bailey, Barry Burnett, Darryl Mitchell (keynote speaker!), Michael Purdum, Jesse Rengesamy, Joshua Wingo, Wayne Turner and Terrell Stokes, all former alumni who came back to christen the new alumni and a heartfelt thanks to our Member Services Manager Nikia Williams for the graceful way she makes the alumni program possible.  Congratulations Class #3!

Over the weekend, the Indianapolis teams ran their first 5K!  It was a great day. The weatherman was calling for some nasty temperatures and rain, but thankfully we lucked out with 52 degree weather and no rain until much later in the day.

We all met at the War Memorial on Meridian and Michigan – and headed over to Military Park to run the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. This was the first 5K for nearly all of the Residential team members. “I think I have butterflies” Progress House res member Eric Arnold said the night before. I feel the need to also mention that this particular funny guy was wearing a shirt that said “running sucks” that night.  Quite the comical shirt being worn by one of the most enthusiastic guys on the team who has taken up running on his own on days we don’t practice!

Once we all made it over to Military Park – the stretching began and we were off to the start of a brand new adventure. I had the privilege to watch all of the team run this race. I ran around the course being the BoMF cheerleader- with an immense amount of pride and joy just thinking of the accomplishment they were all about to achieve.

Check out this video of Progress House res member James Boyd – he is just steps away from completing the longest distance he has ever ran. Don’t mind the high pitched cheerleader voice screaming behind the video….

Run James!

When James finished the race he told me “I think I want to run for the rest of my life”. The peace and sense of accomplishment that finishing a race of any kind brings to you makes all the hard work worth it. Whether you are finishing your first 5K or your first marathon, nothing can compare to the feeling you have when you cross the finish line. You did it. You got yourself there and nobody can take that away.

Read more…

NJN has been gearing up for our spring race schedule, we just had a great time at the Casear Rodney half marathon and 5k! Dave, Joe, Mohammed, Megan, and Kristen ran the 5k race. Dave was in about 6 or 7^th place when at the last turn no one was there to tell him to turn so he missed it! He kept on going until he figured out it wasn’t right and  he still ended up in 9^th place! Joe started out running which is a huge accomplishment! Mohammed ran with Megan and Kristen and finished in under 30 minutes! Good work guys!

Dave, Megan, and Kenny ran the half marathon. Yes Megan and Dave ran both! They are gearing up for a spring marathon and 20in24! Despite having a sprained ankle Kenny still finished in just over 2 hours! Awesome work NJN! We are psyched about the upcoming Jake’s Run, Walk for Hunger, and Broad Street!

We have been loving our huge circles in the morning thanks to all the great volunteers we have had! You guys rock! All of our members have been enjoying the increased number of volunteers as well. We welcomed Mohammed as our new team captain! Congrats to Joe and Bill for being our monthly rez and non-rez!

We want to thank BoMF for organizing the awesome bowling social. Many guys have never been bowling before and had a great time! Not only did we enjoy the bowling and delicious food, but also meeting our new program director Rachel! It was great hanging out with the other teams and a kickball challenge with Ridge was also planned! Come out and join us Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays at 5:40AM!

Members of the month:  Bill B. (non-res) and Joe (res)!

“I love to run and am thankful to God for what it has given me. BoMF is a wonderful way to use the simple act of running to encourage and motivate others to succeed in life. I am honored to be a part of BoMF.” – Bill B. (non-res)

“I like BoMF because I get to meet different people and experience new things.  I would never have done a race on my own and I haven’t been bowling in years.”  - Joe (res)