After operating First Step Recovery Homes, Inc. as a nonprofit organization for nearly 24 years, Keith Giles, founder and chief executive officer, realizes that for continued success it is necessary for the organization to become self-sustaining.
“We are building businesses for our residents,” he said during his remarks at the Putting a Face on Addiction Symposium, recently held on the Duquesne University Campus.
First Step, based in Mc-Keesport, a former booming steel industry town, is a long-term residential recovery program for men. Its mission is to provide supervised, temporary, safe drug- and alcohol-free structured housing and supportive services for persons recovering from the disease of addiction and trying to stay out of the criminal justice system.
Emphasis are placed on creating a sustainable “recovery community” for each person, where they have the tools, resources and supports in place to maintain independence, stay clean and sober and fulfill their life’s purpose and reconnecting clients with their families. Programming includes Transitional, Bridge and a Substance Abuse and Reintegration Housing Program.
Throughout the years, First Step has provided more than 800 homeless adult males a safe recovery atmosphere, has provided recovery services to assist and enable men to return to their families and has assisted its residents to obtain meaningful employment. This being accomplished in a Mon Valley city where the provision of independent supportive housing is grossly neglected and with a population of fewer than 20,000 residents as recorded in the 2010 census records. “We understand the connection between depression and drug addiction and the devastating loss of wages on the family unit,” said Giles.
His solution and philosophy to contribute to the men’s lives and deprived community has been to create numerous entrepreneurial ventures. Enterprises include a lawn care and landscaping business, Phoenix Moving Company, First Step Catering and in the spring in conjunction with St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church they will operate a car wash and detailing business. The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, he said has committed to pay 100 percent of the staffs salaries.
Several years ago, First Step sponsored a teen operated entrepreneur program designed to provide participants job training and leadership development skills. Participants organized community dances and fundraisers and operated a silkscreen business where they had contracts with several agencies to print t-shirts.
In a collaborative effort, First Step has taken a leadership role in strategizing to formulate a business plan and feasibility study to duplicate the San Francisco based Delancey Street Project. Currently operating facilities in Los Angeles, New Mexico, New York, North and South Carolina and Massachusetts. Delancey Street established in 1971 by four felons provides residential rehabilitation services and vocational training for substance abusers and convicted criminals. It reintegrates its residents into mainstream society by operating various businesses such as restaurants, catering and moving companies all wholly managed and run by the residents. “Our intent with this project is to become a self-help organization for substance abusers, ex-convicts and the homeless population that have hit the bottom,” explained Giles. “We will create our own businesses to relieve the financial burden on federal, state, and local government by becoming self-sustaining and creating an additional tax base for the community.”
Pleased with the results of the symposium, Maggie Jones Patterson an organizer said the event accomplished its mission of bringing together the public, Pittsburgh’s recovery community and students and faculty on Duquesne University’s campus. “This provided a chance to highlight opportunities for recovering addicts to reintegrate, for students to explore internship prospects with recovery organizations and for the public to learn more about addiction and recovery,” she said.
Groups attending included Greenbriar Treatment Center, Message Carriers, Mon Yough Community Services, and Renewal, Inc.
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