Giving Rye is a feature series highlighting non-profits and community groups in and around the City of Rye. Today meet Lisa Field of 5 Steps to Five, Inc.
Your Name: Lisa Field
Name of your organization: 5 Steps to Five, Inc.
Your role: Executive Director
MyRye.com: Tell us your organization’s mission
Field: 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.
How long have you operated in or around Rye?
Field: Our program started 11 years ago, in 2014, in Port Chester with just seven families. Since then, we have served hundreds of children and families and have become a respected community partner. In 2021, we moved into our beautiful space at the All Souls community center on Parkway Drive.
What programming or work is the organization best known for?
Field: Our main focus is on early childhood brain development – a baby’s brain grows at an astonishing rate, and nurturing it during the first few years can make a huge difference for life. We provide support, information, and community for parents with limited access to resources. For many families, our program offers a home away from home.
- Our primary programming takes place on Saturday mornings. In parent-child sessions, Spanish-speaking facilitators model ways to develop a child’s cognitive growth, emotional and verbal skills, physical development, and social interactions. We emphasize the importance of reading aloud, and once a month parents receive a carefully chosen children’s book to keep.
- On Tuesday mornings we offer a program for expectant mothers and parents with children up to age two, with a delicious breakfast kindly provided by Meals on Main Street. These classes provide a more intimate setting, allowing us to explore topics in greater depth.
- Following a successful pilot program this summer, we are working with the Community Resource Center in Mamaroneck to establish a more permanent presence there.
Looking forward to 2026, what will be your top initiatives?
Field: The immigrant community is facing tough challenges, and reaching new families is more important than ever. Our goal for 2026 is to continue to expand and strengthen our programs, remaining flexible and sensitive to the needs of those we serve.
- We are very excited about our growing collaboration with the Community Resource Center (CRC) in Mamaroneck. In 2026, we hope to begin providing regular classes there, introducing more parents to the five steps and the importance of nurturing their baby’s brain.
- In an effort to provide more touchpoints to the community, we aim to further expand our weekday programming in Port Chester and make it available to more parents. These classes offer a supportive learning environment and a strong sense of community.
- The All Souls Community Center was recently purchased by the Rye YMCA, and extensive renovations are planned to turn the building into a childcare center. We will have to find new housing for our program as of the summer and are currently evaluating several promising options.
Tell us about the population you serve and how they can get involved with your programming and services.
Field: We primarily serve Spanish-speaking families in Port Chester, focusing on expectant mothers and families with children up to age four. Our programs are free of charge and located at the All Souls Community Center at 55 Parkway Drive. We welcome all parents interested in nurturing their child’s brain development.
To get involved, parents can email us or call to speak with a bilingual community worker. They can also find more information by visiting our website.
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 2025, what were your organization’s top achievements?
Field: This past year, one of our proudest accomplishments has been the continued expansion of our organization.
- At our flagship Port Chester location, we delivered more consistent weekday programming than ever before, creating a reliable touchpoint for parents seeking guidance and connection.
- Mindful of our founders’ vision to expand the program beyond Port Chester, we created a highly successful pilot program in conjunction with the Community Resource Center in Mamaroneck to gauge the possibility of further and more sustained cooperation.
- To advance these goals, we promoted our Tuesday class facilitator, Alexandra Topicha, to program manager for weekday classes and expansion initiatives, and welcomed Brittney Reyes as the new program manager for Saturday classes. Both Alexandra and Brittney are dedicated to ensuring our organization lives up to its mission, gathering feedback from parents to ensure we meet their needs with additional programming.
How can local residents support your organization?
Field: Residents can support our work in several ways. We are always deeply grateful for financial contributions, and donations can be made through our website.
We also welcome volunteers to help with programs or special events. If you’re interested in getting involved, please contact our Associate Director Robin Azer.
What local Rye residents and area businesses have been the longest, steadiest supporters of your organization?
Field: The Rye community has been incredibly supportive!
We are especially grateful to Rye Presbyterian Church and the Rye YMCA, who have provided us with a beautiful and affordable program space. The Rye City School District sends us amazing high school interns every year, and groups from Milton Elementary School and Rye Middle School have supported us with a variety of community service projects, including collecting and wrapping gifts for the children during the holidays. The School of the Holy Child has also provided us with toys for our Santa giveaway, and groups of amazing and hard-working Holy Child students volunteer throughout the year, for instance by keeping our toys clean and organized. Temple Emanu-El has provided us with crafting kits and holiday gifts. Friends of The Rye Nature Center sends the NatureStation to our program each year, much to the children’s delight! And so many local businesses and individuals continue to show their commitment by supporting our fundraising events and lending their time and resources to our cause. Their generous and steady support has been critical to our growth and success.
Beyond Rye, we are also deeply grateful for the amazing support of our Port Chester community partners including Meals on Main Street, Carver Center, WIC, and Open Door Care Network.
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. Robin Azer joined our team as associate director at the end of 2024.
Is the role full time or part time? Paid or volunteer?
Field: My role is a paid part-time position. I am fortunate to focus exclusively on leading the organization and developing new opportunities to support our families.
Where did you grow up?
Field: I was born and raised in Winston-Salem, NC. My sister, Mimi Shea, is also a Rye resident and the reason I moved my family here.
What principles guide you when you have to make a difficult decision?
Field: When faced with a difficult decision, I’m guided by the golden rule – treating others as I would want to be treated, with empathy and fairness at the core of every choice. I also weigh the impact on the families and community we serve. Finally, I lean on collaboration, seeking input from our team and partners to arrive at solutions that honor the mission of our founders.
What excites you most about the future—for yourself or for the world?
Field: The children! And watching the parents in our program delight at learning skills to help their children thrive.
Where do you live and how many years have you lived there?
Field: I moved to Rye with my family 21 years ago and have lived at one point in every school district. We are currently residing in the Mead Pond neighborhood.
Thanks Lisa!
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