In 1982, Olivia Newton John’s song “Physical” hit number one on the charts, the most popular movie was “Fight Club,” Jane Fonda’s workout was all the rage, and Yvonne Johnson, who went on to become mayor of Greensboro, founded and began leading One Step Further Inc.
On Wednesday, May 1, she announced that she’ll step down as the non-profit’s executive director in June.
One Step Further now has nine programs meant to help community residents by providing services such as juvenile intervention to set kids on the right path in life, conflict mediation, and improving food security in Guilford County.
Andrena Coleman – who also has a great deal of experience with the program – will become the new executive director according to an announcement by Robbie Perkins, another former Greensboro mayor who’s now the chairman of the One Step Further Board of Directors.
In a May 1 press release, Johnson said that she’ll continue to work with the organization during the transition to the new executive director.
Johnson released a statement on the program and its work in the community.
“The work that One Step does is important to so many lives,” Johnson said. “I will do everything in my power to ensure that it continues to succeed. Although I’m taking a little rest, I am always nearby to assist the agency in any way I can.”
In the past 42 years, Johnson has taken One Step Further from a small start-up non-profit offering a single program to a $2-million-a-year institution with multiple programs that serves thousands.
“I am proud of the work that we have done,” said Johnson, who’s now 80. “But there comes a time when you know you must pass the torch.”
Coleman has worked in a volunteer capacity with One Step Further over the past 12 years, and has served two terms as the board’s chair overseeing the non-profit.
Perkins had plenty of words of praise for the future director.
“We are delighted that Andrena Coleman has agreed to serve as our incoming executive director,” he said. “One Step Further is a unique organization. Andrena has seen it develop and is uniquely qualified to lead it.”
He added that there’s absolutely no way to replace Johnson.
“She is a one-of-a-kind leader who has built this organization from scratch,” Perkins stated. “But Andrena has the institutional knowledge and managerial skill set to move this organization forward from day one.”
He also said, “Yvonne Johnson had this vision in 1982 that we could address certain social issues in a more productive way. Now, 40 years later, tens of thousands of people have been helped by this organization to lead better lives.”
A 40th anniversary celebration of the program last October included testimonials from former clients and agency partners, including police, attorneys, Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan and Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston, who all spoke on the value of One Step Further and praised the work that it does in the community.
“I am so grateful for the support of our wonderful staff, our board members and community leaders over the years,” Johnson said. “I hope they will continue that support. One Step Further’s continued success depends on all of us. “
40 years of grift went by so fast. How this conflict of interest boondoogle was allowed for so little ng really illustrated how corrupt our local leaders are. Heading a nonprofit funded by city council while being on council is at best tacky, questionable, and unethical and at worst total grifting.
This action is code talk for “I’m taking steps to prepare to run for Mayor”
Great now she can focus all her time on taking more of our tax money via City Council.
I guess she has made her “millions” from the city’s boondoggle “Cure the Violence.” Nothing like being part of the government and enriching yourself in the process…
So? What are her next steps to keep living off the govt dole?
Good,made millions off taxpayers, one step further in her pocket
And she had some of her relatives and friends on the payroll too and their results were puny at best over the last several years. Hope she decided to not run for office again. I never voted for her since I thought she was as they say, a grifter, collecting a salary versus her time to help the city.
Has anyone contacted the city to see how much money went to one step further, and all other similar organizations . . .er um, charities over the last 10-15 years? And what kind of results did they oprovide back to the city to let them know how much of a success those programs were, or weren’t?
Should be against city policy for any board member to vote on any project or program in which they or their family members (including uncles, anunts, grandparents, children and grandchildren) have any interest in these programs. As someone else said. . .grifters.
Also, saw a bus going east on West Friendly at College Road with “zero” occupants, other than the driver. What a successfull program!!!!!!
Congrats to Andrena Coleman, Past Chair of Greensboro Beautiful, from the Board of Greensboro Beautiful!
The key is making a positive difference in the lives of our young people. I have a friend who has taught at risk youth through one of the programs offered by One Step Further. He has gotten overwhelmingly positive feedback from students that he interacted with as an instructor. He, through this program, was able to present an alternative path and mindset to these youth that has helped some to make better life decisions. I applaud the program!
The real issue is. . . .where are the parents (or parent) of these youths? Huge numbers of youths today are on their own by the time they reach 10 or 12, without parental control or guidelines. And the parents are never identified, or chanrged for child neglect. So, when did it become the responsibility of city council to spend our tax dollars to raise kids?
Parents of these out of control kids need to be identified with photos and their address.
You may be correct. . . .but isn’t making a positive difference in the lives of young people the responsibility of their parents (or parent)? Since when was it the government’s responsibility raise children to adulthood? And why is the City creating these social services type of programs?
For all you “wonderful” commentors, I’m going to wager and say Yvonne Johnson has helped more people in a single day than you all will in your entire lives. How about you step outside yourselves for once and consider the well being of others.
As with most nonprofits, they are created to benefit the few administrators and Board members. Yes, they are grifters whose “nonprofit” is not monitored, is supported by tax dollars, and no measurable results are required. Even more offensive in the case of Johnson, she is a City Council member; taking money from GCC that decides on budget items. If interested, any party can request, and the nonprofit is required to provide the last three years of annual IRS Form 990 from the tax-exempt nonprofit. Parties can also request the tax-exempt nonprofit’s application for exemption, which will include correspondence between the nonprofit and the IRS. One Step Further also receives donations from the United Way. Think about that the next time your employer exerts pressure to donate to the United Way. Check out https://guilfordnonprofits.org/#!event-list.
John move to Mexico or any other third world country. One step further is no better than her “ cure violence “. 0 positive results for the amount taxpayers have spent.
John,
The problem I personally have with councilwoman Johnson is No accountability for the million plus the city council & Mayor gave Councilwoman Johnson. Was was an accountable Mayor, but in my opinion lost her way with acountabilty to the citizens of Greensboro with the Cure for violence program. If councilwoman Johnson would/ could show what she has done with OUR taxpayers money thru this program, all the negativity would stop. HOWEVER several years have passed without a single accountable dollar to the taxpayers. Do you see this as a problem? I do.
Helping others with tax dollars is like robbing Peter to pay Paul. The main issue is not , did her nonprofit do some good but rather should a government elected member fund their own nonprofit and not others that may be competing or have better results.
How about you pony up the money for her charity then instead of forcing the taxpayers to do it. It is quite easy to be nice when you have free (other people’s) money to do it with. After a record year of tax hikes and the biggest city budget ever, the city is somehow about to announce a major budgetary shortfall. How? Because they continue to spend more than they bring in, and they spend it on frivolous stuff like this. It’s time to start cutting the fat and charities are the first place to do that.
There’s always a suspicion of impropriety when a councilmember’s organization receives substantial funding from the same council, even when the beneficiary recuses herself from relevant votes.
But I get the sense that her motives are pure and that she has really helped some people.
That must count for something.
And on a personal and human level, I wish her a long, happy, and healthy retirement. She seems like one of those old school Democrats that were reasonable and rational.
Gentlemen, the conflicts are numerous at the municipal level…let’s not forget Hugh Alston and Zack Matheny earning $168,000+/yr of tax payer monies with ZERO transparency or accountability.
We can’t even obtain meeting minutes.
Glad there is one less conflict…now, on to the other two.
She found a bigger way to rip off Greensboro
“Thank God & greyhound she’s gone”! Not really.
The agency was a lifesaving gift for acquaintances of mine. Families can break down, split apart and violence can follow. Children cannot help who their parents are. Having an organization that puts their needs first, helps them deal with the chaos their lives have become and keep them from letting their temporarily horrible circumstances determine the rest of their lives is a God send. Everyone they worked with was non-judgmental professional, caring, attentive and kind. An organization that can prevent children from turning to drugs or crime instead offering them counseling, coping skills, respite and mentoring is worth supporting. Some of these children would inevitably end up in prison without the positive intervention this agency provides and the cost to society would be much higher.