Step Onward Foundation

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Step Onward Foundation

We do this by providing funding for education, housing, and health and wellness. Founded in 2006 by Patrice Pike & Todd Young.

The Step Onward Foundation breaks the cycle of homelessness for young adults and for families who are at risk of homelessness due to their children’s health crises. About Us

Our Mission at the Step Onward Foundation is to break the cycle of homelessness by providing education, communication, housing, wellness resources and mentorship to young adult survivors of childhood homelessness. Toward this

end we cultivate strategic partnerships with likeminded organizations in the communities we serve. Our Vision is to help create a world where young adults who were homeless are understood and assisted through an effective and compassionate model. Our support is an investment in the lives of each young person we serve, providing resources that help them reach their full potential as healthy, happy and self-sufficient adults.

06/04/2026

Love Is Home isn't just the name of our gala.

It's what happens when a community shows up for families facing impossible circumstances.

Every ticket purchased.
Every sponsor.
Every auction bid.
Every person in the room.

Together, they help keep families housed through a child's medical crisis and help young adults build stable futures.

Join us September 13.

📅 Love Is Home Gala
🔗 https://steponward.org/gala/

Presented by United Heritage Credit Union

06/02/2026

Over the past few weeks, many of us have joined in celebrations for our favorite graduates.

We've attended ceremonies, taken photos, and shared tears of joy.

What we don't always see are the foundations that made those moments possible.

A safe place to sleep.
A stable address.
Reliable transportation.

Only 55–60% of youth experiencing homelessness graduate high school.

Compare that to 90% of students who are stably housed.

That gap isn't about ability.

It's about stability.

When housing is uncertain, everything else is too.

With the right support at the right moment, young adults can stay in school, keep moving forward, and build independent futures.

05/29/2026

Four days.⁠
⁠
That's how much time Chandel's family had before a constable was scheduled to remove everything they owned from their apartment.⁠
⁠
For the past 10 years, their family had navigated the challenges of having a child in ongoing medical care at Dell Children's Hospital. When both parents unexpectedly lost their jobs, they fell behind on rent and faced immediate eviction.⁠
⁠
A local church stepped in to help, but it wasn't enough.⁠
⁠
With just four days remaining, Step Onward provided $5,500 in emergency support to keep them housed.⁠
⁠
This is why rapid intervention matters.⁠
⁠
When support arrives in time, families stay housed. Children stay in school. Parents can focus on rebuilding. And a temporary crisis doesn't become long-term hardship. 💛

05/27/2026

Thank you to Keller Williams for supporting the 2026 Love Is Home Gala as a Rising Sun Sponsor. 💛

Sponsors like Keller Williams help make early intervention possible for families facing housing instability, medical crisis, and financial hardship before those situations become homelessness.

We’re grateful for the businesses and community partners stepping forward to help strengthen support for Central Texas families and young adults.

A limited number of Rising Sun sponsorships are still available.

05/26/2026

We’re excited to welcome Teresa Vazquez, our new master’s-level social worker, to the Step Onward team. 💛

As Step Onward continues to grow, this role allows us to deepen the personalized, human-centered care at the core of our mission and respond more effectively to families and young adults facing housing instability.

When a family is navigating a child’s medical crisis, housing instability can happen quickly. That’s why Step Onward provides both rapid financial assistance and ongoing case management before a short-term crisis becomes long-term homelessness.

Teresa works directly with families and young adults to assess urgent needs, connect individuals with resources, strengthen referral relationships, and provide support beyond immediate financial assistance.

“Teresa has already helped refine our intake process and deepen relationships with our community partners, allowing us to respond more effectively to urgent needs.” — Dr. Sam West, Executive Director

As demand continues to grow across Central Texas, this work helps more families remain housed, stable, and connected to care before a crisis escalates.

Learn more about our work: https://steponward.org/how-we-help/ -process

05/21/2026

We’ve seen how close young adults from hardship come to dropping out.

Not because of tuition. Because they can’t stay housed.

They’re enrolled. They’re working. They’re doing everything right.

But without family support, there’s no margin for error.

That’s where we step in, so one setback doesn’t end their education.

05/20/2026

Strong communities are built through partnership.

We’re deeply grateful to United Heritage Credit Union, our 2026 Love Is Home Gala Title Sponsor, for investing in housing stability and support for families and young adults in our community.

Partnerships like this help Step Onward Foundation step in before a crisis becomes homelessness.

Thank you for helping make this work possible. 💛

05/19/2026

Housing instability often begins quietly.

Step Onward Foundation steps in before crisis becomes homelessness, helping families and young adults remain safely housed during some of life’s hardest moments.

Join us September 13 for the Love Is Home Gala as we come together to create stability, support, and hope for our community.

Early bird tickets are now available. 💛

Special thanks to our 2026 Title Sponsor, United Heritage Credit Union, for helping make this evening possible.

05/14/2026

Responsibility is one of our core values.

We believe that people facing housing instability want the opportunity to take ownership of their lives and build something stable.

Our role is to provide support at the right moment so they can move forward.

Because when stability is restored, people are able to take the next step toward independence.

05/12/2026

"Knowing that next month’s rent and utilities are covered has lifted such a huge burden. It means safety. It means stability. It means I can breathe a little easier and focus on moving forward."

As a single mom caring for a medically complex child, Khadija was doing everything she could to hold things together.

Through referral partners, she was connected to Step Onward at a critical moment.

That support gave her space to breathe and move forward.

Address

1031 E 24th Street
Houston, TX
77009

Website

https://steponward.org/

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