First Step Staffing, a nonprofit staffing firm, announced it has opened a new location in Augusta in early October. Founded in Atlanta in 2007, First Step Staffing provides immediate employment to individuals at-risk of homelessness, as well as transportation to and from work and connection to other resources and services to retain stable housing.

First Step is co-located at the Salvation Army’s First Stop Center, which brings together multiple community partner agencies and offers resources to prevent homelessness and help individuals achieve self-sufficiency.

“Augusta is thrilled to welcome First Step to our community. First Step joining the Salvation Army’s First Stop Center is part of our ongoing efforts to execute a holistic solution to preventing homelessness in Augusta,” said Daniel Evans, Community Development Manager for the City of Augusta.

The Augusta Homeless Task Force has been meeting since 2021 to develop solutions and execute a strategic plan to combat and end homelessness in the community.

“Income and housing are inextricably linked.” Said Amelia Nickerson, First Step Staffing CEO. “Individuals at-risk of homelessness often also face barriers to securing employment. First Step Staffing has been opening the door to economic opportunity for the most marginalized in our community since 2007, and we look forward to expanding our impact into Augusta.”

First Step opening in Augusta was also made possible by support from the Community Foundation for the CSRA, Augusta National Golf Club and Bank of America. Bank of America’s efforts follow its partnership with the Community Foundation and Augusta National Golf Club in the HUB for Community Innovation as part of the organization’s mission to support communities and advance economic opportunity for all.

“This is an important development in our ongoing commitment to support our most vulnerable populations and we look forward to First Step’s contributions to tackle homelessness and housing insecurity in our community,” said Ora Parish, president, Bank of America Greater Augusta / Aiken.

With the launch of this new partnership in Augusta, First Step will serve more than 2,500 individuals annually in Georgia. Nationally, First Step partners with more than 70 employers and provides job placement for approximately 8,000 individuals who combined earned more than $57 million in wages in 2021.

For more information or to request an interview, please contact Kellie Brownlow at 404-374-3130 or [email protected]