Step It Up, Inc

Specialties

Step it Up, Inc. is a 501©(3) nonprofit based in Portland, Oregon dedicated to providing youth with career knowledge, experiential learning, and the continuous support necessary to transform their futures.

History

Established in 2003.

Step It Up, Inc. was founded in 2003 to address the need for career-​aspiring high school teens in Portland’s inner city to gain access to professional career work experience, training, and mentoring. Before applying for non-​profit status, our founders researched the need for this organization by talking with leaders from existing youth development nonprofits to ensure there was no duplication of services; by asking businesses if they could and would provide relevant work experience and mentoring for students; and by interviewing high school staff and teens to verify teen interest in work experience and training. The need, commitment, and interest were, and still are, substantial.