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Back On My Feet is a nonprofit organization that promotes the self-sufficiency of homeless populations by engaging them in running as a means to build confidence, strength and self-esteem.

We do not provide food or shelter, but instead provide a community that embraces equality, respect, discipline, teamwork and leadership.

Currently, there are BOMF chapters in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. In 2011, BOMF will expand to Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta, Minneapolis-St. Paul and two more cities. We want Greensboro to be one of those cities!

Read more on Help bring Back On My Feet to Greensboro!…

Jimmy is 69 years old. He’s worked all his life, and is a military veteran, but now, at retirement age, he is living in a tent in the woods.

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Read more on Video: Jimmy, homeless in Greensboro…

Mark Horvath called me from LA and made me smile. Who wants to donate $250 (tax-deductible) so I can visit him and do a homeless LA tour?

From the web site of the Greensboro Police Department:

Helping the Homeless — The GPD’s Center City Resource Team is collecting winter coats, hats, gloves and boots for the homeless. If you would like to donate any of these items, please deliver them to one of the Police substations: 1106 Maple Street, 300 S. Swing Road, or 2602 S. Elm-Eugene Street. You may also drop off your donations at the GPD administrative offices in the Melvin Municipal Office Building, 300 W. Washington Street.

See why we heart the popo?

Read more on GPD helps the homeless…

From an instant message conversation with a friend:

Friend: “Im at the uncg campus library, but they have changed things around here pertaining to the pcs so I will not be here but for 5 mins”

Read more on Standing room only…

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I’ve visited the women’s winter emergency shelter at Grace Community Church the past two nights, and it’s a peaceful and happy place to be. I already knew most of the homeless women who are staying there, but it’s so cool to get to hang out with them at night like this. It’s like a big slumber party, which is exactly what we all talked about at the library months ago, when I first spoke to some of these ladies about winter shelter, and asked what they thought about doing a women’s-only shelter at Grace. They were excited about the idea, and I have to say, it’s even better than what we imagined.

Read more on Shelter, safety, rest, peace: Homeless women find refuge at Grace…

Operation Greensboro Cares, a fundraising partnership coordinated by the United Way, the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, the News & Record and other media partners,  is raising money for emergency shelter (including winter shelter through the WE! program), emergency food assistance through food pantries, and emergency financial assistance with power and heating bills, to help keep families in their homes and help them avoid homelessness.

Read more on Operation Greensboro Cares raises money for emergency food and shelter…

The Salvation Army Family Store in Greensboro (I still call it the thrift store, but I’m not supposed to) used to have a connection with a mattress manufacturer that donated mattresses that had been used as displays in showrooms (like at the furniture market) or ordered by customers and returned (unused.) Although the mattresses had not been slept on, they were not technically “new,” so they were put into a special trailer where they were heated to a sanitizing temperature.  (I think I’m explaining that right.) Then the mattresses were sold at the Family Store at a fraction of their original price.  One of my relatives bought a king-size, pillow-top mattress set for $200.  The retail value was in the thousands.  (They love the mattress.)

Read more on Anybody got a mattress connection?…

FOOD FOR NIGHTWATCH, DEC. 19TH

We want to do a special NightWatch meal on Friday, Dec. 19th, which is the week before Christmas.  We aready have some special things to give out to our homeless friends for Christmas, but everything we distribute is donated, and the only meals we have right now are microwave meals.  So we’re hoping to do something hot and “homemade.”  Marsha has a turkey.  We thought about doing turkey sandwiches and maybe soup?  If anybody wants to cook something or donate something, please let me know.  NightWatch is a street outreach ministry to unsheltered homeless people.

Read more on We need stuff for homeless outreach: Can anybody help?…

Our team of volunteers has been serving breakfasts and dinners for our homeless friends while Arlington House has been closed (details here), and we have two breakfasts to go — Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 10th and 11th.  We need cooks (5:00 a.m.), servers (6:45 a.m.) and cleanup help (7:30 a.m.) Location details (cooking at the HIVE, serving at Grace) are here.  If you can help, please respond in the comments here or on this post, or contact me via this email form.  Thank you!

Read more on Two breakfasts to go: Need cooks, servers, cleanup help…

Like to eat brownies?  Me, too.  Think it’s cool that “the Watches” do street outreach to help homeless and hungry people?  What if there was a way that you could support our outreach by eating brownies?  Well, guess what? There is!!

Read more on Do this! Eat brownies and support homeless outreach!…

We have four more breakfasts to cook and serve to homeless and hungry people before Miss Terry is scheduled to come back and reopen Arlington House. We are cooking at the HIVE and serving at Grace. (Locations and details are here.) If you can cook (5:00 a.m.), serve (6:30 a.m.), or clean up (7:30 a.m.), please respond below.   We need people tomorrow (Thursday), Friday, and next Monday and Tuesday. Thank you!

Read more on Four more breakfasts to go: Come cook and serve…