One Step A La Vez

The One Step A La Vez program began in 2007 with a group of teens and founder Lynn Edmonds who wanted to bring needed services to youth in Fillmore & Piru. They saw their community was plagued with issues such as poverty, drug and alcohol use, family violence, and mental health needs and they decided to create more access to services in their community. These youth also articulated a need for a safe place for teens, a transitional place to get services, but also a place to get help with whatever problems they might be facing. The youth created the One Step A La Vez Program which includes the One Step Center to provide behavioral health outreach, engagement, prevention and intervention services to the communities of the Santa Clara Valley (Fillmore, Piru & Santa Paula). They also saw a need for a safe place for teens to get services, or help with whatever problems they might be facing. Soon the vision for the One Step Center became an after school reality. Our name “One Step A La Vez” was chosen by the youth to remind them to take “one step at a time” toward self and community improvement and also as a reflection of the dual heritage of the community.