Rico admits he was going to “fake it to make it” at first, but after he experienced the program’s benefits “it grew onto me.” During his twelve months with 1st Step, Rico learned how to lead a successful life, not just stay out of trouble. Most importantly for him, he learned to take responsibility and ownership for his failures. 

Rico thanks the support system he found with 1st Step, but says to succeed you have to “make it happen” for yourself. After achieving his short-term goals of getting employed and graduating from 1st Step, Rico is now focused on his long-term goals of improving his credit so he can get his own car and place. 

Rico is proud he’s now an active contributor to his family. He beams with pride now that he can help his mom buy groceries, and that he can help put food on his family’s Thanksgiving table. 

Rico is grateful to 1st Step for teaching him life lessons he never learned growing up, so that he can be the best version of himself. “I’ve always been me, but I’ve never been the full me.”