Homeless getting back on feet one step at a time

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Dozens of people showed up dark and early for Monday's inaugural one-mile run to launch the Back on My Feet Austin.   The non-profit is a national organization that helps people experiencing homelessness get back on track through running. 

In Austin, 30 people, including residents at the Salvation Army and the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless participated in the 5:30 a.m. run.  Volunteers ran along side the clients and cheered them on as they made it to the finish line.

"Running doesn’t discriminate. Doesn’t matter if you’re white, black,rich, poor, homeless  or not it really makes you feel like you can fly and really help you discover all your capabilities," explained Anne Mahlum, CEO and Founder of Back on My Feet.

"It's really a starting point for people to discover who they are and when we can help them discover all the positive things they can do something with all that positive momentum and really create self sufficiency in their lives."

For six months participants will run three times a week early in the morning. They will have their attendance, mileage and attitude tracked.

They have to attend 90 percent of the time in order to move to the next step.  Mahlum said at that point, the runners get job training, financial literacy, up to $2,000 in financial aid to help get a home, also help with networking.

Roseann Marfitt is one of the runners who is currently homeless.  She lives at the Salvation Army Woman's Worker Dorm and received a flyer from a case worker about the program.

She said she became homeless after leaving an abusive relationship.  Over the weekend everyone in the program was fitted for new running shoes, she said that was a turning point in her life.

“Very emotional when I tried those shoes on. I just was like 'wow!' I felt like it was a real new beginning something concrete you know like I’m just taking a step at a time," said Marfitt as she fought back tears.  "I’m at the bottom and I feel like putting on those shoes was symbolic of people believing in me and they’re investing their time and their energy and moral support and I just felt like it was a helping hand."

Back on My Feet started in Philadelphia in 2007.  It's in 10 different cities.

Mahlum started running at 16 to help her get through her dad's gambling addiction.  For years she continued to run at 5:30 a.m. and at the age of 26 in Philadelphia is when she started the nonprofit.