Creative Steps
Creative Steps is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating three day-program sites in Santa Monica, Thousand Oaks, and South Bay that deliver individualized community integration, job coaching, and paid internship placements to 75+ adults with developmental disabilities, funded primarily through state Regional Center allocations, foundation grants, and private donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersSanta Monica, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Creative Steps does
Creative Steps, legally The Aurelia Foundation d/b/a Creative Steps, is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 that delivers individualized community integration day-program services to adults with developmental disabilities. The organization operates three physical program sites serving Santa Monica, Thousand Oaks, and South Bay communities across Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, with a staff of 90+ supporting 75+ adult clients and their families. Core offerings include group and individual enrichment activities (yoga, cooking, music, fitness, art, cultural outings), computer-skills development, transportation assistance, 1:1 job coaching, and a Paid Internship Program that wage-funds intern salaries for approximately three months to enable employer assessment at no cost to the employer. Employment placement partnerships with regional employers including Walgreens, Dick's Sporting Goods, Cinepolis, Wendy's, Arthur Murray, Sprouts, Shemesh Farms, Shalom Institute, and Vitoli Landscaping translate program participants into paid workforce outcomes.
The business model is that of a Regional Center-vended adult day services provider. The primary revenue stream is state funding received by clients through California's Regional Centers for the Developmentally Disabled, layered with institutional grants and private donations from foundations (Sherwood Cares, Looking Beyond, S&L Marx Foundation, Community Conscience, Anita Bhatia Foundation for Tomorrow, Kuvera Partners) and individual supporters. A nominal e-commerce storefront sells branded merchandise (tote bags, t-shirts, caps) at $15-$25. Distribution is exclusively direct via the three program sites; there is no technology platform, mobile app, or API. The organization is governed by a board and leadership team including Founder/President Lisa Szilagyi, CEO/Chairman Bob Charney, and COO Michelle Tello, with headquarters at 2708 Wilshire Blvd. #419, Santa Monica.
Go-to-market relies on referrals from Regional Centers, word-of-mouth from families, press coverage in regional publications (Calabasas Style Magazine, Huffpost, Jewish Journal, The Malibu Times, Palisadian-Post), and a social/email presence on Facebook, Instagram, and a monthly newsletter. No venture capital or private equity capital is involved; the entity operates as a program under its parent nonprofit The Aurelia Foundation and is not listed on any public exchange.
Creative Steps firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Creative Steps
- Legal name
- The Aurelia Foundation d/b/a Creative Steps
- Website
- https://creativesteps.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Creative Steps is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating three day-program sites in Santa Monica, Thousand Oaks, and South Bay that deliver individualized community integration, job coaching, and paid internship placements to 75+ adults with developmental disabilities, funded primarily through state Regional Center allocations, foundation grants, and private donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Creative Steps industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Adult Day Services for Developmental Disabilities
- NAICS
- Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243)
- SIC
- Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Post-Secondary Transition Planning & Coordination (EDAKANAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Special Education Vocational & Transition Programs (18–22) (EDAKAAAG), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)
Keywords
Where Creative Steps is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Monica
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Creative Steps business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations
Revenue model
- State Funding: Program is supported with state funding received by clients through regional centers for developmental disabilities.
- Institutional Grants: Funding from institutional grants and foundations supporting developmental disability services.
- Private Donations: Private donations from supporters including Sherwood Cares, Looking Beyond, S&L Marx Foundation, Community Conscience, and individual donors.
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of Creative Steps branded merchandise including T-shirts, tote bags, and ball caps through their online shop.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Creative Steps Tote Bag - $15.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Creative Steps T-Shirt - $20.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Creative Steps Ball Cap - $25.00 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Creative Steps product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Creative Steps is a nonprofit adult day program providing individualized community integration support for adults with developmental disabilities, delivered through three physical program sites in California. The program combines group and individual activities, vocational support, 1:1 job coaching, a Paid Internship Program that funds wages for employers to assess workers, transportation assistance, computer skills training, and enrichment activities including fitness, arts, music, and cultural outings. The organization also sells branded merchandise (tote bags, T-shirts, ball caps) to support fundraising.
Product overview
Creative Steps is an adult day program for adults with developmental disabilities, offering individualized community integration support through a combination of group activities, individual support, job coaching, training and placement, and enrichment activities. The core program is supplemented by a Paid Internship Program that funds wages for approximately three months and 1:1 job coaching services provided at no cost to employers. Additionally, the organization sells branded merchandise including a Tote Bag, Ball Cap, and T-Shirt.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Creative Steps Day Program Adult day program providing individualized community integration support for adults with developmental disabilities, combining group and individual activities, job coaching, training and placement, computer skills development, transportation assistance, and enrichment activities including music, art, fitness, yoga, cooking, and cultural outings. Operated across three program sites in Santa Monica, Thousand Oaks, and South Bay.
- Paid Internship Program (PIP) Wage-funding program that covers intern wages for approximately three months, enabling employers to assess supported workers' skills via an extended working interview while Creative Steps pays and insures the worker. Designed to remove employer hiring risk and connect adults with disabilities to long-term employment.
- 1:1 Job Coaching Ongoing job coaching provided at no cost to employers, supporting interns and employees with disabilities to learn tasks independently while coaches remain present and available throughout the employment relationship.
- Creative Steps Tote Bag Beige canvas tote bag with teal Creative Steps logo and lettering, measuring 14 inches wide by 13.5 inches, priced at $15.00. Sold as fundraising merchandise through the online shop.
- Creative Steps Ball Cap Teal adjustable ball cap with white Creative Steps logo and lettering, priced at $25.00. Sold as fundraising merchandise through the online shop.
- Creative Steps T-Shirt White t-shirt with teal Creative Steps logo and lettering, available in sizes small, medium, large, and extra-large, priced at $20.00. Sold as fundraising merchandise through the online shop.
Quantifiable outcome
- Clients work 2-20 hours per week depending on needs
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Creative Steps
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Creative Steps technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Creative Steps partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Creative Steps competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- United Cerebral Palsy of Los Angeles (UCPLA): Los Angeles-area nonprofit providing adult day programs, supported living, and employment services for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Operates multi-site community programs similar in structure to Creative Steps.
- Five Acres: Southern California nonprofit offering a range of services for children and adults with developmental disabilities including community-based day programs and family support — comparable service mix and regional base.
- Tierra del Sol Foundation: California-based nonprofit supporting individuals with developmental disabilities through vocational training, supported employment, and community participation programs — closely matching Creative Steps' day-program and employment placement model.
- AbilityFirst: Pasadena-based nonprofit providing adult day programs, employment services, and recreation programs for children and adults with developmental disabilities across Southern California. Direct peer operating multi-site day programs with employer partnerships.
- Exceptional Children's Foundation (ECF): Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating adult day programs, vocational services, and community-based employment supports for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Closest functional analog to Creative Steps in LA County with overlapping service lines.
- The Arc Los Angeles: Local chapter of The Arc providing advocacy, day programs, and employment supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout LA County — directly comparable mission and service mix.
- Jewish Vocational Service Los Angeles (JVS): LA-based workforce-development nonprofit providing vocational training, job placement, and supported employment services including for individuals with developmental disabilities — comparable employment-focused mission.
Regional players
- Hope Services: San Jose-area California nonprofit providing adult day services, supported employment, and community living supports for people with developmental disabilities — same operating model but different primary geography.
- Momentum WORK, Inc. Texas-based 501(c)(3) providing adult day programs and supported employment for adults with disabilities, with private and public sector employer partnerships. Comparable in vocational and day-program model but operates in a different state.
Broad incumbents
- Easterseals Southern California: Large regional nonprofit (now operating as part of AbilityFirst post-merger) offering a broad portfolio of adult day, behavioral, and employment services across Southern California — overlapping with Creative Steps but at materially greater scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Creative Steps social profiles
Digital presenceCreative Steps financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Creative Steps leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Creative Steps funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Creative Steps M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Creative Steps
What does Creative Steps do?
Creative Steps is a nonprofit adult day program providing individualized community integration support for adults with developmental disabilities, delivered through three physical program sites in California. The program combines group and individual activities, vocational support, 1:1 job coaching, a Paid Internship Program that funds wages for employers to assess workers, transportation assistance, computer skills training, and enrichment activities including fitness, arts, music, and cultural outings. The organization also sells branded merchandise (tote bags, T-shirts, ball caps) to support fundraising.
Is Creative Steps a public or private company?
Creative Steps is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Creative Steps founded?
Creative Steps was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Creative Steps based?
Creative Steps is headquartered in Santa Monica, United States, in the North America region.
How does Creative Steps make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. State Funding is the primary driver. The others are institutional Grants, private Donations and merchandise Sales.
Who are Creative Steps's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are United Cerebral Palsy of Los Angeles (UCPLA), Five Acres, Tierra del Sol Foundation, AbilityFirst, Exceptional Children's Foundation (ECF), The Arc Los Angeles and Jewish Vocational Service Los Angeles (JVS). Regional players are Hope Services and Momentum WORK, Inc.. Easterseals Southern California is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Creative Steps have an API?
No public API is recorded for Creative Steps.
What industry is Creative Steps in?
Creative Steps's product category is Adult Day Services for Developmental Disabilities. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAKANAA, Post-Secondary Transition Planning & Coordination, with a secondary code of EDAKAAAG, Special Education Vocational & Transition Programs (18–22). Its NAICS code is 6243 and its SIC code is 8351.