Can Sports Save Ailing Cities?

"Two years ago, Anne Mahlum was taking her morning run through the streets of Philadelphia, passing as always the same group of homeless men on the corner of 13th and Vine. She usually waved and kept running. But one sticky July morning, Mahlum stopped and asked the nine men whether they would like to join her.

This fortuitous conversation would be the beginning of Back on My Feet, a Philadelphia-based non-profit that engages the homeless in running as a means to build confidence, strength and self-esteem. In addition to its morning jogs and participation in everything from competitive races to full-on marathons, Back on My Feet provides services to help its participants get off the street – unless they are running, of course. The young organization offers job and financial literacy training, scholarships and housing assistance for its runners, many of whom have put an end to their homelessness through the program."