Giving Rye: Meet 5 Steps to Five
Giving Rye is a new occasional feature highlighting non-profits and community groups in and around the City of Rye. Today meet Lisa Field of 5 Steps to Five.
Your Name: Lisa Field
Organization: 5 Steps to Five
Your role: Executive Director
MyRye.com: Tell us your organization’s mission.
Field: At 5 Steps to Five, we believe a parent is a child’s first and most important teacher. Our mission is to be a trusted resource for parents seeking to give their child the best possible start to school and to life.
Looking forward to 2025, what will be your top initiatives?
Field: A child’s brain grows at an astonishing rate, and enrichment at the earliest stages can make a huge difference later in life. 5 Steps to Five serves as a trusted resource to Spanish-speaking parents in Port Chester, offering them community and support as they work to give their children the best possible start to school and to life. There is a real need for our services, so our main goal for 2025 is to reach even more families in the area. In addition to continuing our Saturday programs, we will focus on growing our weekday offerings as well as our partnerships with other local organizations to provide even more resources. We are also working to optimize our data intake in order to ensure the most meaningful programming.
Tell us about the population you serve and how they can get involved with your programming and services.
Field: We serve Spanish-speaking families in Port Chester with very young children. Our programs are free of charge and located at All Souls Community Center (55 Parkway Drive). To get involved, parents can email us at info@5stepstofive or call (914) 451-9278 to speak with a bilingual community worker.
Are you a 501(c)(3) non-profit with tax exempt status?
Field: Yes, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with tax-exempt status.
Looking back across 2024, what were your organization’s top achievements?
Field: In 2024, we were excited to see our attendance grow in record numbers. We continued to expand and diversify our programming, hosted community-building events, and strengthened our partnerships with local organizations.
- One of our significant recent achievements was the launch of a weekday morning “Breakfast Club” for new and expecting moms. It provides valuable parenting tips and a strong sense of community.
- We hired a bilingual program consultant and reorganized our classroom space to maximize meaningful enrichment opportunities for the children.
- Our families now have access to the Betsy B. White Toy Lending Library, an initiative started in memory of our beloved treasurer Betsy White.
- Our organization saw significant growth in our network of community partners, expanding our ability to connect families with vital resources and support services throughout Westchester.
How can local residents support your organization?
Field: We are always grateful for financial support! We also welcome volunteers to help with our programs or special events.
What local Rye residents and area businesses have been the longest, steadiest supporters of your organization?
Field: We could not do this work without the amazing support of the Rye community! We are especially grateful for the ongoing partnerships with Rye Presbyterian Church and All Souls Community Center, which have provided us with a stable home base. The Rye City School District provides us with high school interns every year, and groups from Milton and Rye Middle School help us with a variety of community service projects, including collecting and wrapping gifts at Christmas time. Volunteers from the School of the Holy Child help in different ways throughout the year, for instance by helping us keeping our toys clean and organized. Local businesses and individuals, including generous donors and volunteers, continue to show their commitment to our mission by supporting our fundraising events and lending their time and resources to our cause. We are so grateful!
Tell us about you:
How long have you been in your current role?
Field: I’ve been serving as the Executive Director of 5 Steps to Five since 2016. The wonderful Melissa Belleville recently left her position as our Associate Director, and we are thrilled to announce that we have found a terrific successor in Robin Azer.
Is the role full time or part time? Paid or volunteer?
Field: My role is a paid part-time position. I feel very fortunate to work with a talented and dedicated staff and a wonderful board to develop new opportunities to support our families.
How would your friends and family describe you in one word?
Field: Positive
Where did you grow up?
Field: Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
What is your favorite unimportant thing about you?
Field: Is there such a thing?
If the next five years is a chapter in your life, what is this chapter about?
Field: The next five years will be about growth—both personal and professional. I want to expand our organization’s reach and deepen our impact in the community while learning, evolving, and connecting with new ideas and people.
What would you do if you were not afraid?
Field: Ski the double blacks with my family. More than fear prevents me from doing this.
Where do you live in Rye and how many years have you lived in the City?
Field: I’m fortunate enough to have lived in Rye for more than 20 years.
Thanks Lisa!
Learn more:
Volunteering: contact [email protected]
