Nonprofit receiving an additional $5 million to support its work during the pandemic

Ohio’s largest community action agency has a new name. The former Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland (CEOGC) is now Step Forward, a change made, said Dr. Jacklyn A. Chisholm, the agency’s president and CEO, to better represent the organization and the people it serves today and in the future.

Jacklyn A. Chisholm, President and CEO of Step Forward

“Our new name reflects the next step forward for the agency to continue as a vital resource to Cuyahoga County and the low-income residents who call it home,” Chisholm said in a press release announcing the new name.

Step Forward helps people find hope, believe in their future and take steps to make it a reality. With a $40 million operating budget — which is expected to grow by an additional 45 million this year owing to the pandemic, the agency’s mission is to lead the fight on the ground against poverty in the community by helping the people it serves access resources and support to address immediate needs and build long-term skills and opportunities to transform their lives. It has been one of the area’s leading recipients of CARES funding to fight the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on low-income residents.

“Poverty is complex. It can be hard to make ends meet and difficult to ask for help or know where to start,” Chisholm said, adding “Step Forward counselors, coaches and teachers work with each individual or family to sort through the chaos and help them restore hope in their future.”

Step Forward’s current focus is in three areas:

• Temporary assistance to deal with immediate distress, such as assistance with heating bills.
• Early childhood education to ensure is prepared to enter kindergarten and develops a love of learning.
• Adult skills training that leads to better jobs and more stable families through personal and professional development, along with career planning and job training

Chisholm says the new name, Step Forward, symbolizes the journey of the people the agency serves, as well as the organization’s journey to help meet their needs. Step Forward is a vital community resource, but also an advocate and guide for low-income individuals and families during times of need.

Kathryn Hall is board chair of Step Forward, the county's anti-poverty agency

Board chair Kathryn Hall said the milestone represents more than just a name change. “This is the culmination of a multi-year, strategic look within the organization. We also explored the evolving nature of poverty, the needs of the people we serve and established goals and a plan to achieve them,” she said.

Step Forward is Ohio’s designated anti-poverty agency for Cuyahoga County. Chisholm believes that the agency’s on-the-ground vantage point makes it poised to be a leader  in raising community awareness of the urgency of poverty. She wants the community to understand the services Step Forward provides and the impact it has on the children, adults and families it serves. Greater awareness, understanding and leadership, she believes, means Step Forward can  be more effective in finding, addressing and eradicating the causes of poverty in the community.

“Everyone starts from a unique place, and with each step has the opportunity to move forward and upward toward an improved unique place. That requires courage and commitment,” Chisholm said. “Now, our name announces our intent and our continued promise to help people find their best path to lead toward a stable future, toward hope and toward their dreams,” she added.

For more information on Step Forward programs and services, visit the agency’s new website at www.StepForwardToday.org. It can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @stepfwrdtoday.

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