Step Forward, formerly the Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland, helps people find hope, believe in their future and take steps to make it a reality.
Our mission is to propel educational attainment and economic self-sufficiency for multiple generations throughout Cuyahoga County.
As the State’s designated anti-poverty agency for Cuyahoga County, Step Forward is tasked and trusted to lead the fight on the ground against poverty in our community. The nonprofit organization helps low-income individuals and families address immediate needs and build long-term skills to transform their lives through early childhood education programs, adult skills training, and other support.
For decades, we quietly, steadfastly opened our doors to help low-income individuals and families in Cuyahoga County take steps toward brighter futures. The organization formed in 1964 in response to President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty which established the nation’s Head Start early childhood education program and numerous initiatives designed to empower individuals to move beyond the situation they were born into or found themselves unintentionally a part. For more than 50 years, we have helped low-income individuals and families address and overcome the causes of poverty specific to their situation.