Back on My Feet just keeps growing in Philly

It’s been a solid year for Back on My Feet (BoMF).

The national nonprofit, which uses running as a base for helping homeless individuals get housing and jobs, announced its expansion to its 12th city, San Francisco, in late spring. That expansion is due to happen this month.

Meanwhile, BoMF is still growing in its home city. Last week, the nonprofit officially launched a Point Breeze team to supplement branches in Center City, South and West Philadelphia. The new team was formed in partnership with Surge Recovery, a residential program for men recovering from addiction.

The new team and partnership with Surge fits nicely into the citywide support system BoMF is building. In West Philadelphia, BoMF is partnered with inpatient recovery facility Kirkbride Center. Once Kirkbride members complete their treatment, they are relocated and often have trouble keeping up with BoMF. The Surge partnership is an “intentional effort” to help bridge that gap in the recovery process.

“We have great faith in Surge as a facility not only invested in the Point Breeze community but also invested in an individual’s journey through the recovery process,” said BoMF Philadelphia Program Director Ramon Laboy III.

According to CEO Katy Sherratt, 65 percent of individuals who stay in BoMF for 90 days either obtain employment, education, housing or job training — but Sherratt wants to get that number closer to 80. In Philadelphia, the partnership with Surge should help the organization do just that.