We provide the homeless and about to be homeless tools for success through, outreach, resources, referrals, and life skills, while at the same time showing them respect and compassion. We help them to attain housing and keep it by showing them better decision making, improving self esteem, life and money management skills.

I am sure you see families and individuals that get into housing only to lose it a few months later. We are a program that teaches them better decision making and other skills to help them to keep their housing for the long term.We are out in the street with them daily, building trust and getting to know them and asking them what it is they need to help end their homelessness Whether it be Drug treatment, mental health, medical treatment, financial assistance, domestic violence, etc. we refer them to the right resources to achieve their goals. We are a new program in San Bernardino County. If you would like more info. on our program or add life Skills education to your organization, you can email us at: info@steps4change.org or call (909)233-4392.

 

THE CEO - MY STORY

Several years ago I had a life changing event happen that cause me to be homeless. I never thought I would be homeless. I was not a drug addict, mentally ill, or lazy, the picture so many people have of the homeless. I remember I use to say why don't those people just get a job and get off the street. I was a business owner, intelligent and I should not be homeless I thought. Well I found out real quick that homeless people are just people and that most do not have drug problems, or mental illness, or are lazy. They just had life events happen that put them where they are and getting a job is not that easy. While I was homeless I experienced being robbed, raped, and victimization by people saying they wanted to help but they just took advantage. I also got treatment by some programs that was very demeaning and they treated the homeless like they weren't worth their time. I remember trying to get into a transitional program at a local shelter and the program manager said that I could get in but I would have to have a job within 4 weeks or I would have to leave. I thought to myself if I could get a job in 4 weeks I wouldn't be here. They didn't show you how to get a job, or how to dress for an interview, or how to do a resume, or even ask if you had any job experience they just had this requirement and that was that. I remember thinking how unfair that was. I knew I would be ok because I had job skills, but what about the people who didn't have the skills I had, or who had never worked, what were they supposse to do? How can you ask someone to do something but not offer to show them how to do it? Well I eventually got a job with a homeless program and got off the street. I started showing the homeless how to do the things agencies were requesting of them so they could get the help they needed. Sometimes it was just knowing how to fill out a form, or helping them to understand the process they had to go through, sometimes it was giving them hope that they would be ok and show them they were capable of making things better because I had been there and I was now ok. This is why I started Steps 4 Change. It all starts with 1 step to change a life.

Please take a step with me to help end homelessness!!