Juan Medina, 30, said he has been homeless for some time after his family kicked him out due to his dependence on drugs and alcohol.

The native Puerto Rican had been living with family in Kensington until he was displaced, and he said he found out about BOMF after visiting the Philadelphia Brotherhood Rescue Mission at 401 E. Girard Ave.

In his struggle with drugs and alcohol, Medina said, he found the BOMF runs were very therapeutic and, after a few days, he loved the exercise, and his life has improved ever since.

"It's something I never saw myself doing. But, after a few days, I really enjoyed it," said Medina about the running program. "Everyone here is really friendly. When I'm here, I feel like I'm home. It makes me feel like a person."

Since he began the program earlier this year, Medina said the new sense of discipline that it has instilled in him has enabled him to find a new place to live in North Philly and now he's planning on studying to obtain his G.E.D.

Medina is just one of the almost 25,000 homeless men and women in Philadelphia and Mahlum said his story is just one of the many tales of turnarounds and successes that have been fostered by BOMF. Still, she says she has much more to do.

Her concern, she said, is that the homeless in the city have been relegated to something of a second-class society, as if most residents consider them a blight on society.

She wants to see that mindset changed.

"We want to bring together people who are homeless and people who can help the homeless," said Mahlum. "We want the entire population talking about homelessness. (Homelessness) is an issue we have branded negatively, but we can change that. We're all in this together."

To elicit this need for change, BOMF has teamed with state Sen. Larry Farnese (D-1st dist.) to host a forum on Tuesday, July 16, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Independence Visitor Center at 6th and Market streets.

Farnese, contacted last week, said he hopes city residents turn out en masse for the forum, because he sees homelessness as a serious concern throughout the city. He said it's a problem that may only get worse with the national economy tanking and many people losing their homes to foreclosure.

The senator said the city's homeless population grew three percent last year. That statistic, he said, is a reason homelessness is an issue should be tackled now.

"We need to raise awareness about homelessness, and I'm looking to attack homelessness from a different perspective," he said of his support of BOMF.

"(Homelessness) tears at the fabric of what a city should be. If we don't address this, then it will always be a problem."

Reporter Hayden Mitman can be reached at 215-354-3124 or hmitman@phillynews.com

A discussion on homelessness

Back On My Feet, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit homelessness prevention organization has teamed up with Pennsylvania state Senator Larry Farnese (D-1st dist.) to present a forum on homelessness.

The forum will be held on Tuesday, July 14, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Independence Visitor Center at 6th and Market streets.

The senator will join BOMF's president and founder Anne Mahlum to lead the forum.

The event is free and open to the public.