History

The “Tri-County Sheltered Workshop” was founded in 1976 in Farmville as a satellite program of Lynchburg Sheltered Industries.  In 1982, with the cooperation of Lynchburg Sheltered Industries, the Farmville operation formed its own Board of Directors and applied for its own 501(c)3 status.  The new organization, The Sheltered Workshop in Farmville, Inc. began raising funds for a desperately needed new building. The Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors agreed to apply for a Community Development Block Grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development for the construction of an 11,500 square foot facility on 19.2 acres of land that had been donated by Virginia National Bank.  

In 1990, the management of the organization changed, as did the name of the organization, “Southside Training, Employment and Placement Services, Inc.” which trades under “STEPS, Inc.” The name change reflected the new purpose of the organization:  to provide job training and employment opportunities to people with disabilities.  

In 2012, STEPS changed its legal name by simply dropping the “Southside Training, Employment and Placement Services, Inc.”  Our communities knew us by STEPS and now we are legally STEPS, Inc. Recognizing the diversity in services now provided to our citizens, the Mission Statement was changed to reflect our expanded focus:  

“STEPS is committed to creating, coordinating and delivering quality comprehensive services in an effort to foster self-sufficiency and eliminate poverty. “

In December, 2014, Governor Terrance R. McAuliffe designated STEPS, Inc. as the new Community Action Agency for the counties of Amelia, Buckingham, Cumberland, Lunenburg, Nottoway and Prince Edward Counties.