Watch CBS News

Philadelphia Running Group For The Homeless At Its Finest During Boston Tragedy

By Michelle Durham

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A national organization headquartered in Philadelphia that helps the homeless had 11 of its members at the Boston Marathon yesterday.  Thankfully, none of the runners from "Back On My Feet" was hurt in the blasts.

Back On My Feet helps homeless members of the community re-engage in society through the sport of running.  In Boston, some were there to run and some were there to support others running.

"We have learned that running has helped to transition people even beyond running," says Cathryn Sanderson, director of communications for Back On My Feet Philadelphia.   "It's helped to move people forward in their lives in many ways: goal setting, and creating a healthy environment where people can push their limits."

And, during the Boston Marathon and its horrific aftermath, the Back On My Feet participants pulled together as a family.

"We had a lot of support here," Sanderson says.  "We were following runners throughout the day and making sure that everyone was accounted for.  We had about 11 team members from the Philadelphia community out in Boston, and it took a lot of leadership in making sure that not only were they accounted for but that they were together."

The group is still in Boston, but Sanderson says they will be returning to Philadelphia soon.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.