Step Springs

Background Statement

We have heard a resounding message from community leaders, service providers, and foundation partners in Colorado Springs that there is a significant need for Step’s program/model. The data supports this, and our team stands ready to answer the call, partnering with the community to open Step Springs.

For over 40 years, Step Denver has successfully given men experiencing homelessness the opportunity to overcome addiction and its consequences through sobriety, work, accountability, and community.

Step Denver was founded in 1983 by recovering alcoholics/addicts joining forces to help homeless men. They recognized sobriety as the primary solution to homelessness and knew that sustained recovery is best achieved through rehabilitation, economic opportunity, self-sufficiency, and community. In 1988 Step moved into the current location on Larimer Street two blocks from Coors Field - where we remain accessible to those in our community who have the most urgent needs.

Chief Executive Officer Paul Scudo was recruited in 2015 with the goal of implementing an addiction recovery and life skills curriculum to reduce recidivism. Being in recovery himself and bringing the knowledge base of both a peer and a clinician, Paul worked with Step Alumni - the first Recovery Support Managers - to create the Steps for Success program. A Career Center was established to aid in restoring residents' dignity, security, and ability to contribute to their families. In 2017 Step began opening Sober Living Homes to further strengthen the probability of sustained recovery.

Today, between the 60-bed primary facility downtown and sober homes throughout Metro Denver, Step can house up to 90 men at a given time in Denver. Colorado Springs will be able to house 50 men when it opens its doors in the Fall of 2025.

Every year, the Denver team of 27 staff members - including 20 Step Denver Alumni - impact the lives of more than 330 men and their families. Through their successes Step generates an annual economic impact of $11.1 million; turning every dollar donated into five and producing an immeasurable societal benefit.

Following the proven Step Denver model, the 50-bed Colorado Springs facility will meet near-term needs, and Step has set a goal of serving 160 men in the first year – 800 within five years of opening. A building was purchased in May of 2024, construction will begin in January of 2025, and Step Springs’ doors are anticipated to open in Fall of 2025.

To protect the program model, Step does not accept government funding and is entirely supported by individuals, local businesses, and private foundations. This allows the ability to make decisions based solely on what is best for those served – not dictated by state or federal funding sources - producing outcomes far exceeding the national average.

Above everything, our goal is to help men in a state of desperation end their cycle of addiction, take back control of their lives, and transition to a safe and sober living environment where they can become productive, contributing members of their families and our community.