Our History

Ten years ago, a little girl was in a community theatre summer musical with adults and lots of “orphans.” She was alone and did not play with her friends in the green room, laying down instead of lining up with her peers to go on stage. When the girl walked on stage, she moved dangerously close to the edge, as if she would fly off. Two pediatric therapists, who were also in the cast, quickly recognized her uniqueness, and the next day, they brought in a bear to serve as a special prop. This bear was different because it had fishing weights sewn into it to provide sensory support so the girl could perform—and she did, just like her friends. And thus, the concept of STEP VA was born.

STEP VA’s mission is to empower people with disabilities and their families through creative expression and sensory exploration. We offer our participants with disabilities classes and musical theater productions, giving them an opportunity to bloom from shy individuals, often judged by their disability, to confident young people with strong leadership skills.

We provide caregivers with workshops to explore the many resources in our community and to share experiences that have made a difference in the parenting journey. We strengthen our community through our volunteer program, by training future members of the workforce on how to support and advocate for people with disabilities.

Every facet of STEP VA comes back to meeting people where they are and celebrating their successes every step of the way.