Back on My Feet is Using the Power of Running to Combat Homelessness in America

In episode 39 of the Disruptors for GOOD podcast, I speak with Katy Sherratt, CEO of Back on My Feet, on using the power of walking and running to combat chronic homelessness in America.

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As an award-winning social innovation leader, Katy has taken Back on My Feet from early stage startup to sustainable organization with the integration of new holistic success measures for the program, consistent double digit financial and programmatic growth YOY, and geographic expansion of operations across the US.

Katy has been recognized by The Economist’s Philanthrocapitalism program as a leader in social innovation and cutting-edge non-profit management and named among Authority Magazine’s 2019 ‘Female Disruptors’ and Women’s Running Magazine’s ‘Top 20 Game-Changers.’ Most recently, she was named a winner at the Social Innovation Awards.

Katy and her work have been featured across multiple media and news outlets including the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Forbes, New York Times, ABC, NBC, CNN, Fox News, Inc.com, Entrepreneur Magazine, Thrive Global, Popsugar, Runners World and numerous women’s health magazines.

Prior to joining the organization, Katy led global projects for Accenture in their UK and US-based Strategy Practices working with corporate clients, NGOs and nonprofits with clients ranging from leading Financial Institutions to the United Nations.

About Back on My Feet

Back on My Feet is a national nonprofit organization that helps people who are experiencing homelessness get back on their feet through running, job training, and professional development.

Back on My Feet combats homelessness by engaging with individuals in the homeless community and providing them with resources to help them get back on their feet.

The organization uses running as a tool to help individuals in the homeless community build confidence, gain discipline, and establish positive social support networks.

In addition to running, Back on My Feet provides job training and professional development resources to help individuals in the homeless community find employment and housing.

Back on My Feet has helped thousands of individuals in the homeless community get back on their feet and improve their lives.

The organization has a strong track record of success, and its model has been replicated in other cities across the country.

If you are interested in helping people who are experiencing homelessness, Back on My Feet is a great organization to get involved with.

Operating in 13 major cities coast-to-coast, Back on My Feet recruits’ members at homeless and residential facilities and begins with a commitment to run three days a week.

The second phase of the program, Next Steps, provides educational support, job training programs, employment partnership referrals and housing resources.

Since 2007, Back on My Feet members have run more than 940,000 miles and obtained more than 6,500 jobs and homes.

The organization has also engaged more than 150,000 volunteers and supporters across the United States. Every $1 invested in Back on My Feet returns nearly $2.50 to the local community through increased economic output and cost savings.

Back on My Feet has chapters in the following cities: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington D.C.

Full Interview

Grant: What’s up, everybody? This is Grant from Causeartist. Welcome to Episode 39 of the Disruptors for Good podcast. Today, we’re chatting with Katy Sherratt, the CEO of Back on My Feet. Back on My Feet is an incredible organisation that uses walking, running, and community building to combat homelessness in the United States.

They focus on building relationships between volunteers and homeless individuals, fostering a sense of community and family, and inspiring those facing homelessness to find a path back into society and the economy with a renewed sense of purpose.

Katy brings enormous talent and skill to the nonprofit sector from her work in the private sector, and I hope we see more individuals like her choosing to pursue a career of impact, even if it means taking less money. It’s fascinating to hear how someone makes that decision, leaving a big-time job to follow their passion.

A bit about Katy: she was named a Top 20 Game Changer by Women’s Running magazine and has been highlighted by The Economist for her leadership in social innovation and cutting-edge nonprofit management. Her work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Forbes, New York Times, ABC, CNN, and now Causeartist.

Back on My Feet has accomplished amazing things since 2007. Members have run more than 940,000 miles and secured over 6,500 jobs and homes. They’ve engaged more than 150,000 volunteers and supporters. For every dollar invested in Back on My Feet, nearly $2.50 is returned to the local community through increased economic output and cost savings.

The organisation has chapters in 13 cities and is about to launch its 14th. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Katy. If you have any questions, just hit me up at grant@causeartist.com. Enjoy the interview!

03:51

Grant: I usually like to start by talking about an individual’s journey—how they reach a certain point in their life where they decide to take on a role focused on making an impact. You’ve held some pretty big corporate jobs, so maybe we can start there and discuss how that led you to take on a larger role in social impact.

Katy: Before joining Back on My Feet, I was working at Accenture as a consultant, doing various strategy consulting projects. My move into the social impact space and the nonprofit world was driven by both personal and professional reasons. Ever since I was a kid, my mom would take me to homeless shelters and addiction clinics, exposing me to people who needed support.

She wanted to ground me in empathy. So, at a pivotal moment in my career, when I was questioning the work I was doing and whether I wanted more direct meaning, my mom became seriously ill with arthritis. It was one of those life moments where you realize it’s now or never to make a change. Around that time, an email came across my desk about doing pro bono work with Back on My Feet.

I immediately saw the potential in their innovative yet simple approach and knew this was what I wanted to do. Two weeks later, I handed in my notice at Accenture, and seven years later, I’m still here and love what we do.

05:27

Grant: Before we dive into the mission of Back on My Feet, I want to go back to what you mentioned about your time with your mom in homeless shelters and addiction clinics. What do you remember from that time? Did anything stand out and impact you at an early age?

Katy: I remember feeling that it was always a bit like standing on one side of a table, handing something over to someone on the other side. I’ve always been intrigued by people and their stories—my friends might say I’m nosy—but I just like to know what people’s stories are. As a young kid, I would start asking questions, and my mom would tell me that’s not what we were there to do.

But I felt frustrated that it wasn’t more about building friendships and having conversations with these people. It felt like there was a missing link. When I learned about Back on My Feet, I was struck by how it addressed what I felt was missing: building a community to help individuals see the potential in themselves and help themselves out of their situations.

07:21

Grant: Homelessness affects every major city, and it’s hard not to feel affected when you see people on the streets in your own city. It’s often a feeling of helplessness. That’s why your organisation’s approach of bringing people together through walking and running really drew me in. Can you explain Back on My Feet’s mission and the programmes you offer in more detail?

Katy: Absolutely. Back on My Feet uses the tool of running or walking to create a community with individuals living in homeless shelters or addiction facilities. Volunteers from the community run or walk with our members three times a week at 5:45 a.m., covering one to three miles.

It’s not necessarily about becoming a runner; it’s about helping individuals find themselves again and connecting them to people in the community who can help them. If they commit to the programme—three mornings a week with 90% attendance for at least 30 days—they move on to our Next Step programme.

This involves more traditional workforce development, financial literacy training, and skills-building, with partners like Accenture and Bank of America.

We also have employment partners, such as Marriott, who are willing to overlook some of the barriers our members face and give them a second chance. The programme’s success is largely due to the volunteers.

They’re the ones who bring the community together and make it work. It’s a beautiful way to bring people to the problem in a way that helps our members achieve self-sufficiency, ultimately benefiting society and the economy.

11:50

Grant: There’s often already an embedded running community in many cities. When the organisation started branching out into different cities, did you look first to the running community or the homeless shelters?

Katy: Our ultimate aim isn’t to create a running club; it’s to help homeless individuals achieve self-sufficiency. So we first look at where the biggest homelessness challenges are and what types of facilities are available. We tend to work with short-term facilities, ideally those with three months to two-year programmes.

Then, we consider factors like whether the city has a strong running community or a big marathon that we could connect with for fundraising. But our main focus is on where the greatest need is in terms of the homeless population.

12:57

Grant: What were the first few cities where you started and saw success?

Katy: We started in Philadelphia, then branched out to nearby cities like Baltimore and DC. Each city has its own challenges and opportunities. For example, in San Francisco, where I’m based, homelessness is a significant challenge that doesn’t seem to be improving. One of the problems we’ve encountered is the lack of transitional homeless shelters.

Many people are in emergency shelters for less than 90 days, but it’s unrealistic to expect someone who has been chronically homeless to transform their life in that short period. We try to be the best we can in any given city, working with as many people as possible.

14:38

Grant: You mentioned the 90-day period. Can you go into more detail about what happens after that? Is it another 90 days of training, or longer, before they get an opportunity to enter the workforce?

Katy: They continue to run or walk three times a week, which is a mandatory requirement. This commitment shows that they’re investing in themselves, and it’s important for our employment partners to see that level of commitment and self-drive. During the Next Step programme, we offer courses in resume building, mock interviews, financial literacy, and computer literacy.

We also have a financial aid fund to pay for certifications that enable them to get interviews with our employment partners. We build an individual goal plan for each member based on their skills and needs, aiming to make their transition into employment as smooth and sustainable as possible.

16:36

Grant: You mentioned Accenture a few times, and it seems like you had a good departure from the company. Was there a quick dialogue with them after you took the CEO position about how they could support Back on My Feet?

Katy: Accenture was already involved with Back on My Feet when I joined, which is how I heard about the organisation. But I think the relationship has grown since then. Having worked at Accenture, I understand the potential of what they can do, and it helps in conversations with them. I think my background has also helped us attract more corporate partners who are interested in results and impact, which is what we’re here to achieve.

18:08

Grant: One statistic that stood out to me during my research was that 83% of your members maintain employment after going through the programme. That’s remarkable. Is there a common background or skill set among those who are most successful in the programme?

Katy: We try not to be exclusive, but we’re careful about identifying individuals who have the potential for self-sufficiency. Some members come to us with degrees, while others struggle with literacy.

We build individual plans based on their needs and skills. Our programme isn’t just about placing people in minimum-wage jobs; it’s about finding the right fit for them. We also continue to support them after they’ve secured employment, offering a community they can rely on if they encounter challenges at work.

21:39

Grant: One of the interesting aspects of your programme is the health benefits of running or walking. Do members come out of the programme enjoying a healthier lifestyle?

Katy: Absolutely. We have additional health programming alongside the running and walking, including classes on healthy eating and workout sessions with partners like Lululemon. Many of our members really get into it. Some have even run marathons and raised funds for Back on My Feet.

However, we’re mindful not to push anyone too far out of their comfort zone. Some members prefer walking, and that’s perfectly fine. We want them to maintain a healthy lifestyle in a way that works for them.

24:45

Grant: Can you share a bit more about Alma’s story? It sounds like she went through an incredible journey with your programme.

Katy: Alma grew up in a tough environment, exposed to drugs and crime from a young age. She became seriously addicted and was chronically homeless for years. Eventually, she found Back on My Feet through Rosie’s Place in Boston, where she was staying.

Alma wasn’t a runner; she walked, but she found acceptance and love in our community, which gave her the confidence to reach her full potential. She earned a degree in psychology from Harvard and now works as a counselor, helping others who have experienced trauma.

She’s also started a jewelry-making business. Her story is just one example of how much people can achieve when they’re given the support and opportunity to believe in themselves again.

29:31

Grant: What goes into launching a new city? Do you look for local government support, or is it more about finding enough volunteers?

Katy: Ideally, we connect with the local government and the head of homelessness in any given city. We also have partnerships with organisations like the Salvation Army, which has multiple shelters across the country.

But the main thing we focus on is building a volunteer base because they’re the lifeblood of the programme. We reach out to our corporate partners and existing volunteers to spread the word and cultivate interest in the new city.

31:55

Grant: From your accent, I’m guessing you’re from a different country. This is a human problem, not just a U.S. problem. Have you shared this effort with anyone back in Europe or the city where you’re from?

Katy: Yes, I’m from England, from the North. There’s actually a programme in London that’s similar to Back on My Feet, focused on youth homelessness. It’s beautiful to see something like that.

We do want to expand beyond the U.S. eventually, but we have a lot more cities here to tackle first. The challenge in the U.S. is that there’s no safety net, which leads to chronic homelessness.

Mental health is handled differently in the U.K., where there are more supportive services. We encounter barriers when it comes to HR policies that prevent our members from getting second chances. We need companies to be willing to overlook criminal records and give people the opportunities they deserve. Without that, the homeless problem will only get worse.

37:29

Grant: You touched on San Francisco’s unique challenges, including rising housing prices and job automation. Do you see enough jobs available for your members, or are there concerns about those jobs disappearing due to automation?

Katy: We’ve been proactive in studying industries that aren’t going anywhere, like supply chain management, which is growing due to companies like Amazon. We consider these factors when deciding which employment partners to work with. We can’t predict the future, but we try to give our members a broad enough skill set to navigate the changes in the job market.

40:22

Grant: As we wrap up, I’d love to hear some of the lessons you’ve learned as CEO and any tips you might have for others considering a similar transition into the social impact space.

Katy: Moving into the nonprofit world is very different. It’s not a nine-to-five job; when you work for something you care about, it continues outside of traditional work hours. There are many ways to help a cause without leaving the corporate world, like volunteering or joining a board.

But if you do make the transition, be prepared for the differences in pay and benefits. That said, the rewards are immense. I wake up every day excited to see what our members have achieved. It’s also important to be vulnerable and accept that you’re going to make mistakes. Build a network of supportive people around you.

Talk to as many people as possible who have made a similar transition. I’ve never regretted it, and I love what I do.

43:35

Grant: Thank you so much, Katy. It’s been amazing to learn more about Back on My Feet. I appreciate you taking the time to discuss this challenging issue and show that there are solutions out there that can make a real impact.