One of the most famous American runners in history, Steve Prefontaine once said, “A race is a work of art that people can look at and be affected in as many ways as they're capable of understanding." As Prefontaine explained, running affects people’s lives and in the case of the organization, Back on My Feet, a Philadelphia-based running club is changing the lives of the Philadelphia homeless community every time they put on their running shoes. Temple University’s School of Tourism and Hospitality Management (STHM) and its students are working with Back on My Feet to prove how running is motivating and shaping others.

When Dr. Jeremy Jordan, assistant professor of sport and recreation management for STHM and a dedicated runner, came across the Back on My Feet expo at the distance classic last fall, he was enticed to learn more and see firsthand how this organization was combating homelessness. Now seven months later, Temple’s Sport and Recreation Management staff and students, as well as Griffith University in Australia and Dr. Daniel Funk, professor at Griffith University, are working with Back on My Feet to conduct a research study.

“I attended the monthly group meeting a few weeks ago and started talking with some of the Back on My Feet members about where they run, what times they run and what hurts,” said Jordan. “And all of us as passionate runners started bonding and from this bonding comes the idea that the members feel like they are part of a community.”

Back on My Feet started in 2007 when 27-year-old Anne Mahlum used to run by a homeless shelter during her morning run, waving and smiling to some of the men. Mahlum’s morning run triggered the launch of Back on My Feet, a non-profit that could improve the lives of others. Working side-by-side with seven Philadelphia shelters and volunteers, Back on My Feet organizes running teams of 10-25 people along with a team leader and a schedule for the three weekly morning and weekend runs for each group. Each team evolves into a community for members to feel part of and develop a network of support. Team meetings are conducted monthly to discuss upcoming runs, events and future plans include advice on health, nutrition and physical fitness in collaboration with Temple and Jefferson Hospital.

“Back on My Feet is making a difference in several people’s lives in a physical sense for men and women that have not been active for years, because they are running four times a week, and socially, because they are showing a transformation in self confidence,” said Wylie Belasik, Program Director for Back on My Feet. Belasik, an avid runner himself, has been involved with Back on My Feet since day one as a volunteer, and fulltime in the last year. All funding for Back on My Feet comes from generous donations, grants and corporate sponsorships.

After spending two months in the Back on My Feet program, members qualify to be part of the Next Steps program. Next Steps consists of educational classes, job training and placement. After six months in the program, a member can apply for a grant to facilitate obtaining an apartment, education or job-related expenses.

“We are very excited to be working with Temple, so we can have more concrete evidence on how someone feels about being part of a team,” said Belasik.

Jordan and his group of students from STHM’s Sport and Recreation Management program conduct research at the monthly team meetings by collecting data from distributed questionnaires. The research will determine, as Jordan explained, “What changes take place over the duration of the time that people are involved with Back on My Feet, and when those changes occur.” The data will track members on, “Their baseline measures in terms of involvement, their attitudes, self esteem, health behaviors and where they are making good decisions about nutrition, alcohol, drug use, smoking and much more,” commented Jordan.

Another comprehensive study that STHM’s Sport and Recreation Management program is analyzing in partnership with two assistant professors from Temple’s Department of Public Health, Dr. Brad Collins and Dr. Jennifer Ibrahim, is a smoking cessation study with the members of Back on My Feet. The study will evaluate the impact of being part of a community that promotes physical activity, and the smoking cessation component will help to determine if people are more likely to quit. According to Belasik and STHM’s preliminary research, a high percentage of Back on My Feet members smoke but desire to quit; nationally, 60-75 percent of homeless people smoke (from a 2004 Science Direct analysis).

In a recent monthly newsletter, Back on My Feet listed a few early statistics that STHM’s students assisted in compiling. Back on My Feet has a total of 148 members and reported that: 23 members have obtained housing, 35 have secured jobs, 25 are in job training programs or school, and 73 have attended one of three required financial literary classes. In addition, 98 percent of members stated their self-esteem has improved, 63 percent have quit or suppressed their smoking and 98 percent mentioned their daily productivity has increased since starting the Back on My Feet program.

Presently, STHM’s Sport and Recreation Management program is seeking research funds internally and externally to facilitate a Back on My Feet pilot study and future in-depth studies. Jordan’s hope is that if the research proves being part of a community decreases homelessness in Philadelphia, Back on My Feet can expand further to cities around the country. In fact, Back on My Feet started two programs in Baltimore in late March.

“Back on My Feet establishes that somebody cares,” concluded Jordan.

To learn more about Temple University’s work with Back on My Feet, visit http://backonmyfeet.org/main/areas/about.us/results.html.