the street, if you are motivated to change, Steve will give you his last dollar, bread crumb, or the shirt of his back. His heart is larger than life, without exaggeration. Steve has built his dream and his life around recovery, and he will help anyone along their own journey to do the same. Steve leads the vision at JFT and he has never turned anyone away; even if their intentions were not pure. Steve does not have the capacity to be unkind; it simply is not a part of who he is, and when ask: "Why?" he simply states: "I've been there." Steve runs a tight ship; however, many a person in long term recovery has Steve to thank somewhere along the way; although he would never admit it.

Steve worked in sales for many years before becoming the Regional Director for a Home Medical Supply company. After years of traveling, being away from home, and the trials and tribulations facing most of us throughout active addiction, Steve decided his life needed a drastic change of direction. He checked himself into Gaudenzia's Common Ground detox and inpatient facility in Harrisburg; and to this day, credits them with saving his life. Steve was willing to go to any lengths at this point, and accepted the 12-step philosophy followed at Common Ground, truly finding a Power greater than himself. With a grateful heart, Steve still follows this program today; however, like the rest of us at JFT, sincerely believes there are many roads to recovery, which are welcomed and demonstrated daily at JFT's Recovery Center.

As his vision for a recovery center slowly unfolded, Steve continued working parttime at Common Ground while moving all the pieces into place to build his dream. At one time under Steve's direction in the early 2000's, JFT operated recovery houses in Harrisburg, Gettysburg, and Mechanicsburg as well as a thrift store in Middletown to make ends meet. However, more often than naught, funds came out of Steve's own pockets to keep the dream alive.

Luck, hard work, or divine intervention--depending on your beliefs--took hold and Steve was awarded a start up grant from Capital Area Behavioral Health Collaborative to purchase the property in Lemoyne. Steve began a male recovery house above the center, added the veteran's services in 2014, and acquired a women veteran's recovery house in Harrisburg, slated to open in March 2019. Recently, JFT was awarded grant funding from Cumberland-Perry Drug and Alcohol Commission to initiate the Warm Handoff Program in our three county hospitals: Carlisle, West Shore, and Holy Spirit. With the Warm Handoff media coverage, by word-of-mouth, and through referrals, JFT has helped as many people coming in off the streets acquire some type of treatment as we have straight from the emergency rooms.

​

Steve is currently the Chairman of the Board for Consumer Satisfaction Services where he has served for six years. He remains an active member of NA and throughout the years has held most, if not all, of the service positions at both the local and state levels. Steve has no problem telling anyone that he has 16 years sobriety as his ultimate goal has ALWAYS been to carry the message with a grateful heart.