StepUp Ministry is one of the few organizations in the Triangle offering job training programs to the homeless and the working poor. Out of the 625 people who enrolled for its program, more than 400 passed and 314 got jobs. 80 percent of those still have jobs a year later.
Steve Swayne, the executive director of StepUp Ministry runs his nonprofit like a business. All his case managers use a free nonprofit version of Salesforce.com and document all their interactions with their clients in their ipads. On the quantitative level, Steve can tell you exactly how many homeless people came to StepUp for help in March and how many found jobs. He showed me a copy of a book called Toxic Charity and said “I truly believe that empowering people means that giving a turkey is a good start but far from the finish. Empowering people means getting at the heart and the mind.” He’d like to see more nonprofits in the Triangle work from a strategic plan that’s driven by impact and metrics and numbers. Steve wishes more aid dollars were spent in a metrics-driven way: “If you wake up the director of a nonprofit in the middle of the night and ask how many homeless people between 35-45 years of age have you found jobs for in March, you shouldn’t have to wait for more than a couple of minutes for an answer.”
Steve is determined about his approach. He feels that the system engenders a dependency mind-set and destroys self confidence. The homeless don’t believe in themselves — he stresses that a heart and mind shift are both required. When you are homeless, you are looked up on differently, he suggests, and no one expects much from them. “Most individuals don’t want to learn process or have the patience required to participate in StepUp’s program. But I’ve never blamed a homeless person. Over time, I’ve learned they are really smart — just to survive on the streets. It’s the system — and you won’t change the system that easily.”
When I explained my research endeavor to Steve, he suggested I focus on instilling dignity, respect, and belief in the homeless so they start believing in themselves.
Six people on Steve’s staff are graduates of the StepUp program. He asked, “How many nonprofit can say that?” He added, “We are laser-focused on what we do best. We don’t try to do everything. And we measure our work and execute from a strategic plan. That’s why we’ve grown and will continue to grow. Only 30 percent of our funding is from public dollars. The rest comes from private donors.”
He suggested I meet with those who didn’t get through the StepUp program and ask them why. He felt they may need someone to help them gain the self-confidence and motivation they need to kick the aid system, and move into self-sufficiency.
The Homeless in Wake County, North Carolina: The Listening Project 