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A Step to Freedom

EIN 95-4704879 · Los Angeles, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO ENHANCE THE LIVES OF LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO STRUGGLE WITH SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DISPARITIES SUCH AS HOMELESSNESS, LACK OF EDUCATION, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MENTAL ILLNESS, AND RECIDIVISM BY PROVIDING A SAFE, SUPPORTIVE, AND NURTURING ENVIRONMENT TO BREAK CYCLES, HEAL AND THRIVE.

Income
$5.3 million
Spending
$5.0 million
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
1.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 82%
Employees
155
Volunteers
200
Highest pay
$124,512, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (housing, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 53% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 67% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (housing, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 6 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (5)
  1. $4.1 million spent. INTERIM HOUSING A STEP TO FREEDOM'S INTERIM HOUSING PROGRAM PROVIDES CRUCIAL SUPPORT AND STRUCTURE FOR INDIVIDUALS SEEKING STABILITY. OPERATING SIX FACILITIES WITH 202 BEDS, THE ORGANIZATION OFFERS IMMEDIATE SHELTER AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO THOSE IN CRISIS. NOTABLY, IN 2024, A NEW SITE DEDICATED TO WOMEN OPENED, DELIVERING TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE THROUGH GENDER-RESPONSIVE PROGRAMS. THIS PROGRAM SERVES AS A VITAL FIRST STEP TOWARDS LONG-TERM WELL-BEING AND INDEPENDENCE.IN 2024, ASF PROVIDED COMPREHENSIVE INTERIM HOUSING AND SUPPORT SERVICES TO 303 JUSTICE-INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS, WITH 85% ACCESSING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, 80% MAINTAINING MEDICATION ADHERENCE, AND 20 PARTICIPANTS SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITIONING INTO PERMANENT HOUSING, ILLUSTRATING ASF'S COMMITMENT TO STABILIZING LIVES AND BREAKING CYCLES OF HOMELESSNESS AND INCARCERATION.
  2. $19,500 spent. PERMANENT HOUSINGA STEP TO FREEDOM'S PERMANENT HOUSING PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE SAFE, STABLE, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR PARTICIPANTS WHO ARE EXITING HOMELESSNESS AND WORKING TOWARD LONG-TERM INDEPENDENCE. RECOGNIZING THAT HOUSING STABILITY IS A CRITICAL FOUNDATION FOR OVERALL WELL-BEING, THE PROGRAM COMBINES PERMANENT HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES WITH INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO ENSURE PARTICIPANTS NOT ONLY OBTAIN HOUSING BUT ARE EQUIPPED TO SUSTAIN IT.ASF SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITIONED 21 PARTICIPANTS INTO SAFE AND STABLE PERMANENT HOUSING IN 2024, COMBINING LONG-TERM PLACEMENT WITH WRAPAROUND CASE MANAGEMENT, HEALTH SERVICES, AND FINANCIAL COACHING TO ENSURE SUSTAINED HOUSING STABILITY AND INDEPENDENCE.
  3. $4,512 spent. OUTREACHWARM THE STREETS: ASF STRIVES TO BE ONE OF THE STRONGEST VOICES FIGHTING TO END HOMELESSNESS IN LOS ANGELES WITH A FOCUS ON SOUTH LOS ANGELES. EACH YEAR, ASF HOLDS TWO COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT EVENTS TO INCREASE AWARENESS WHILE PROVIDING VOLUNTEERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN SMALL ACTS OF COMPASSION THAT REACH THE UNHOUSED AND UNSUPPORTED, BUILDING TRUST AND CREATING PATHWAYS TO HEALTHY LIVING AND INDEPENDENCE. IN 2024, A STEP TO FREEDOM DISTRIBUTED OVER 10,000 BLANKETS AND PPE TO MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN LOS ANGELES, ATLANTA AND CHARLOTTE.
  4. $430 spent. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENTA STEP TO FREEDOM'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM EQUIPS JUSTICE-IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WITH ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND CONFIDENCE. THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO ENHANCE THEIR COMPETITIVENESS IN THE JOB MARKET, ENABLING THEM TO SECURE AND RETAIN STABLE, LIVING-WAGE EMPLOYMENT. THIS IS A CRUCIAL COMPONENT IN TACKLING HOMELESSNESS WITHIN THE SOUTH LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY.ASF EMPOWERED PARTICIPANTS THROUGH ITS FIVE-PILLAR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, WITH 20% OF ENROLLED PARTICIPANTS SECURING AND MAINTAINING EMPLOYMENT, AND AT LEAST 25% OF INTERIM HOUSING CLIENTS BECOMING WORKFORCE READY WITHIN 12 MONTHS - DEMONSTRATING ASF'S EFFECTIVENESS IN BUILDING ECONOMIC MOBILITY AND CAREER RESILIENCE.
  5. COMMUNITY SUPPORTS PROGRAM (HOUSING NAVIGATION AND TIME-LIMITED SUBSIDY)A STEP TO FREEDOM'S COMMUNITY SUPPORTS PROGRAM OFFERS VITAL RESOURCES, SERVICES, AND GUIDANCE, INCLUDING CASE MANAGEMENT, PEER SUPPORT, AND RESOURCENAVIGATION, TO HELP INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES OVERCOME HOMELESSNESS, UNEMPLOYMENT, FOOD INSECURITY, AND LIMITED HEALTHCARE ACCESS AND ACHIEVE STABILITY AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY. THIS PROGRAM INCLUDES HOUSING NAVIGATION AND TIME-LIMITED SUBSIDY SERVICES.A STEP TO FREEDOM'S (ASF) HOUSING NAVIGATION AND TIME-LIMITED SUBSIDY (TLS) PROGRAMS WORK TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEX NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIESEXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. GUIDED BY A TRAUMA-INFORMED AND CLIENT-CENTERED APPROACH, THESE SERVICES OFFER A TRANSITION FROM HOUSING INSTABILITY TO PERMANENTHOUSING, FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE, AND LONG-TERM STABILITY.ASF'S COMMUNITY SUPPORTS PROGRAM SUPPORTED 7 PARTICIPANTS IN 2024 AND GREW TO 17 ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN 2025, PROVIDING INTENSIVE HOUSING NAVIGATION ANDFINANCIAL ASSISTANCE THAT BRIDGES THE GAP FROM HOMELESSNESS TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY THROUGH TRAUMA-INFORMED SERVICES AND SUBSIDIZED HOUSING SUPPORT.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Worth knowing.

    Status was revoked on May 15, 2012 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on May 15, 2012.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since June 2020.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.