Mile in My Shoes

Mile in My Shoes is made up of Resident Members, Resident Mentors, Alumni, the MiMS Core Team, the MiMS Board of Directors and staff, and you - Run Mentors!

Resident Members live in our partner facilities. All are currently experiencing homelessness, though not all our teams are at a traditional “homeless shelter”.  Resident Members are recruited by the Run Mentor Core Team, fellow Resident Members, shelter staff, or they may just see us running and come to check it out. Each Resident Member completes an orientation prior to joining, and receives a set of new running gear - shoes, shorts/pants, tech tee and winter gear when needed. Resident Members may join at any time, though most teams have targeted recruiting events prior to the start of each cycle.

Resident members join for a variety of reasons, including: to learn how to run, to be a part of a team and engage with the community, the lose weight and improve their health, or just to try something new and different.  Resident Members have committed to attending every run (and being accountable when they cannot), being positive, and trying their best.

Alumni Members are Resident Members who have completed at least 20 runs with the MiMS team. Alumni pass on the running know-how they have gained and lead new Resident Members on their journey. They may mentor new Resident Members in a variety of ways, including pacing new members at morning runs or races.

Run Mentors (volunteers) are runners of all abilities, speeds, and motivations.  Run Mentors all have one thing in common - the desire to spread the transformative power of running.  While Rune Mentors often join MiMS to volunteer their time and to help others, they soon discover that they get back twice as much as they give.  By running side by side with Resident Members, Run Mentors have the opportunity to motivate new runners while cultivating relationships that transform their perceptions of homelessness.

The Core Team is a group of amazing volunteer leaders who literally “run” each team. Core Teams include a Team Leader, Resident Member Manager, Coach and Events Coordinator.

By bringing the power of running to people experiencing homelessness, Mile in My Shoes (MiMS) helps build bonds, boost health and wellness, empower our members, and spark social action. Based in homeless shelters and transitional housing facilities, MiMS serves as a catalyst for community-building, health & wellness promotion, leadership & self-efficacy, and spurring personal & political engagement within the non-homeless community. Through running with one another, our Resident Members & Run Mentors not only find common ground, but begin to learn from and reach out to one another for support. As they transform themselves, they transform one another.