The year was 1966. On television, “Batman,” “Star Trek,” and the “Monkees” premiered; Robert C. Weaver became the first African-American Cabinet member when he was named to head the new Department of Housing and Urban Development; the Baltimore Orioles won their first World Series; the Green Bay Packers captured the NFL championship, and the Boston Celtics captured the NBA championship. The Vietnam War was raging, and President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty and related social programs were in full swing; it was this that would help bring about the formation of “Success Through Engagement and Partnership” or more widely known as — STEP.
This worthwhile agency began with just two programs and has since evolved to serve a wide range of people and needs.
STEP is now celebrating its 60th birthday with over 30 programs to help the whole family, community-level projects that benefit everyone, and an active and involved board of directors.
The federally legislated, nonprofit, private Community Action Agency is currently led by President and CEO Rachelle Abbott, who has been chief executive since late 2024 after over a decade and a half with STEP.
STEP vans are a familiar sight throughout Clinton and Lycoming counties. When you see these, you might not see the full picture of the agency and its history.
“Simply put, STEP is people helping people. Our focus is on action over talk, partnership over isolation, and hope over cynicism,” Rachelle Abbott, STEP President and CEO, told Webb Weekly. “Impact is not just the services we provide — how many rides, how many meals, how many customers, how many classrooms — but the changes that happen to those customers and what becomes possible because of it.”
While the agency started with just the Neighborhood Job Corps and “Project Head Start,” they have grown to over 30 distinct programs offering even more services.
Families can connect with quality childcare and support through the Early Learning Resource Center.
Older adults can continue living independently and with dignity through STEP Office of Aging services.
Homeowners and renters can be safer and more stable through STEP Housing and Building Initiatives.
Families are offered Pathways to Success, Early Learning Housing Options, Workforce Development, Community, Collaboration, and Independent Living.
Families who may not know where to turn and have overwhelming needs can be active participants in designing a plan to move in the right direction and connect with community partners through Service Navigation.
Of course, people can get where they need to go through STEP Transportation.
For STEP, this year is a time of reflection, a time to pause and feel proud of what they have built together over six decades.
Sixty years ago, a small group of determined local leaders petitioned the federal government under the Economic Opportunities Action Program to create the Lycoming-Clinton Counties Commission for Community Action (STEP), Inc., to meet community needs in a direct, efficient, and effective way. That movement started STEP and carried them through decades of change, and the spirit of their founders lives on today in all of their programs.
With board engagement and a significant number of additional community volunteers, STEP began planning a full year of 60th anniversary events last year. Kicking off in January, highlights included a return of STEP Office of Aging bus trips starting in April; a signature fundraising event at Bald Birds Brewing in Jersey Shore on May 30; public open houses at the STEP Round Hills Campus,, Clinton County Community Center, and RiverWalk Center ( scheduled for August and September); the agency’s first Little League pin; and a transportation facility ribbon cutting event in June.
The signature “STEP through the Decades” event on May 30 at Bald Birds Brewing in Jersey Shore will be a night of nostalgia, highlighting how STEP has faithfully carried out its mission — to engage diverse individuals, families, and communities in the pursuit of social and economic success — in local communities since 1966.
The evening will have performances of songs from decades past and current by Uptown Music Collective students and ensembles.
Attendees are encouraged to dress in the attire of their favorite decade and dance to the music, bid on items in the silent auction, enjoy fun twists on classics at the decades -themed meal stations, and hear individuals share how STEP’s resources and opportunities impacted their lives from utilities assistance to transportation subsidies and early learning resources like Head Start.
More information and tickets for the signature event can be found at ww.stepcorp.org/decades, or by calling 570-601-9546.
Tickets will be available until the week before the event, so contact STEP soon if you would like to be there.
