First Step Staffing
More Than a Paycheck
A job is often the first step toward stability, but for people facing barriers to employment, getting that initial opportunity can be the hardest part. First Step Staffing is changing that. Like a traditional staffing agency, they connect job seekers with companies in need of workers. What sets the nonprofit apart is who it prioritizes: people who have often been excluded from the traditional workforce, including individuals who have experienced homelessness or incarceration, veterans, and others facing significant barriers to employment.
“For the people we serve, that first paycheck they receive represents more than just money,” says Amelia Nickerson, Chief Executive Officer at First Step Staffing. “It means someone gave them a chance, and that one opportunity can completely change the direction of their life.”
According to Partners for HOME’s most recent Point-in-Time report, homelessness in Atlanta increased 6% from 2025 to 2026, growing to more than 3,000 people. And housing instability may be only one of the barriers First Step clients are navigating. Gaps in work history, unreliable transportation, disability, or simply a lack of support can make finding—and keeping—a job extraordinarily difficult.
“A common misconception is that our clients don’t want a job. In fact, they’re very motivated to work,” Nickerson notes. “But some encounter barriers that knock them off their feet, and they need some help finding their footing again.”
Founded in Atlanta in 2007 by Greg Block, First Step Staffing helps people facing barriers to employment find a pathway to economic stability. Today, it operates in eight cities across seven states, connecting clients to jobs in industries including manufacturing, logistics, and hospitality.
The results show what’s possible when employment is paired with the right support. In 2025, First Step Staffing:
Employed 7,000+ people
Provided 80,000+ rides to and from work
Paid $43.6 million in wages earned by clients
“First Step’s mission works because our business model works,” Nickerson says. “We deliver for our customers while creating opportunities for people who are too often left out of the workforce.”
Beyond job placement, the organization provides clients with additional support, including financial literacy, upskilling, and housing assistance. As a member of the Atlanta Continuum of Care, First Step also connects clients to a broader network of community resources and support through partnerships with the United Way, Goodwill, and MUST Ministries.
Ultimately, a paycheck is only the beginning. By pairing employment with practical support, First Step Staffing helps people turn the opportunity to work into a pathway toward lasting economic stability.
“The people we serve already have potential,” Nickerson says. “We’re just giving them the chance to put that potential to work.”
A First Step Staffing client hard at work.
Coxe Curry advised First Step Staffing on a fundraising strategy designed to broaden and diversify their philanthropic support. Learn more about their work at https://www.firststepstaffing.com.