Company Future
The board and leadership of Step Ahead currently are seeking support to expand our services in Chicago and to begin operations in Wimberley and Austin, Texas. The organization has identified its immediate and long-term capital needs, recruited a board, and begun the lengthy process of identifying and cultivating prospective donors. A target date for 9/1/08 for Wimberley Holistic recovery Program and Spring of 2009 for the Multi-Unit Program in Austin has been established for launching our new homes.
STEP AHEAD: A COMMUNITY For Building A LIFETIME OF SOBRIETY
Steven Greenberg, Founder and Executive Director
Step Ahead is a highly acclaimed and efficient Chicago community-based post-treatment recovering community with a 15 year history of assisting alcoholics and substance abusers. Its founder and executive director wish to expand to Austin, Texas and duplicate its high degree of success. Organized as a 501c3 non- profit, tax exempt charitable organization, Austin Step Ahead will be able to demonstrate fiduciary feasibility and community service.
The goal will parallel the Chicago experience with a 20 to 40 unit apartment complex in Austin for residents who have achieved a measureable level of emotional, financial, and spiritual stability. Newcomers would live in the more structured Wimberley facility for at least 6 months. This includes approximately 10-20 beds for those beginning their recovery. The newcomer facility would be supplemented with both donations and an assistance program underwritten by grant-supported programs. It is estimated that 40-80 people will be served in a the AUstin multi-unit unit complex. Both facilities will include individual, family, and group therapy, daily monitoring, holistic recovery prgoramming by the esteemed Dr. Marcus Gitterle, and many other recovery-rrelated activities.
In Chicago the occupancy rate was 100% with a 3 year average tenancy. At the end of the first year in Chicago there was a waiting list for prospective clients. As in Chicago, Austin Step Ahead will aim for a 90 to 93% total sobriety rate for residents.
To achieve this goal, Austin Step Ahead will provide a supportive, safe, structured community living environment with a broad range of innovative recovery-related services for individuals seriously seeking reinforcement for a lifetime of sobriety from addiction and alcoholism.
The facility and program in Austin and Wimberley will be overseen by the founder and executive director of the Chicago Step Ahead, Steven Greenberg, himself a recovering alcoholic, as well as Dr. Marcus Gitterle, Chief Medical Officer and Director of the Holistic Recovery Program for Step Ahead. As a model for successful recovery and business entrepreneurship Steven will provide mentoring and inspiration for those serious about a lifetime of sobriety.
For details of all aspects of this venture Steve can be contacted at steve@stepaheadcommunities.org.
Dr. Gitterle can be contacted at marcus@stepaheadcommunities.org.