The Shoppe On Main - STEPS, Inc.

Southside Training Employment and Placement Services, Inc. (STEPS) is a private, not-for-profit employment service organization providing vocational training and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment. The overall STEPS mission is to provide employment opportunities and related services to individuals with diverse abilities in our communities.

Currently, STEPS serves the south-central area of Virginia known as “Southside” and has grown from a small “sheltered” workshop to a fully integrated regional provider of both facility and community based vocational services for persons with disabilities. To this point, STEPS’s primary service-area focus has been its facility-based production and training operations. However, it has been determined that future expansion should be on developing and operating a variety of service-oriented businesses which will enable STEPS to offer its clients more diversity in their employment and training choices.

As part of this expansion initiative, The Shoppe On Main will create an opportunity for competitive, community-based employment in an area hard hit by the recent economy and high unemployment rate.