We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kristy Steele a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kristy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

First off, thank you for taking the time to support our mission at Save Our Families, which is to strengthen, heal, and educate families. Save Our Families was started in honor of my mother, Nita S. Steele. My mom struggled with mental illness and substance abuse most of her life, but still always made sure to take care of others in need. As a child, I watched her give away clothing, food, furniture, hygiene products, and so much more – whatever she could give. At a young age, she encouraged me to start doing the same by giving away my clothing, school supplies, and toys that I no longer used. My mom always told me, “I want to own a building and provide families with opportunities and supplies to get back on their feet.” 

On the afternoon of March 30, 2016, I found my mom actively overdosing on opiates and I was shaken to my core; I thought my mother was going to die in my hands. By the grace of God, and my ability to remain calm during a crisis, I was able to keep her alive by providing CPR for 8 long minutes while I waited for the ambulance to arrive. Thankfully, I was able to save her life that day. Following that traumatic event, I knew I wanted to help make a difference, but I wasn’t sure how. At the time, I was the CEO of Hip-Hop Digital and I decided to use my platform to start a public conversation on how opioids affect our communities. I reached out to an associate of mine, B-No Good, a local radio host at the time, and asked him if my mother and I could be guests on his show “2-1-Sick Radio” to talk about the opioid crisis. With the support of B-No Good, we took to the airwaves, launching the campaign “Save Our Families From Addiction.” Our conversations surrounding opioids, how they are killing thousands of Americans, and how they had affected our own lives, led to listeners calling in and sharing their stories and losses with us. After hosting a few in-person roundtable discussions at a local library, I realized that an organization that supported the families of folks in active addiction was necessary for our communities.

After my mom lost her battle with substance abuse in October of 2017, I decided to turn my pain into purpose. After being directly affected by the opioid crisis, I knew I had to make a difference. I never want to see another child lose a parent to a preventable overdose.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Kristy F. Steele, the founder, and president of Save Our Families. I have a background in branding, creative design, and journalism. I spent many years in the music industry as the CEO of Hip-Hop Digital, a multimedia entertainment platform. We created content like music reviews, interviews with recording artists, and we helped develop artists’ brands.

Tragically on October 28th, 2017, a knock on my door shortly before midnight changed my life. My mom’s partner was distraught as he informed me that he had received a call less than an hour after dropping my mom off following a night out together. Tragically, they had been unable to revive her, and I was told that detectives would be in contact with me soon. I stood there in pure disbelief and shock, thinking about her last words to me that morning – “I’ll call you back later babe.”

While grieving, I realized my passion and purpose were no longer in the entertainment industry; I was meant to be a voice and advocate for the children growing up with caregivers suffering from mental illness and/or substance abuse. In March of 2018, Save Our Families was born.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

When creating brand loyalty, we rely on our core values. We lead with love, compassion, and understanding. The work we do depends on building relationships and establishing trust. As a part of our services, Save Our Families provides free Naloxone (Narcan) and other harm-reduction supplies to Ohio residents, helping to prevent fatal overdoses. Our non-profit organization also hosts various drives, such as our annual Back-to-School Drive, where we supply the children with free backpacks and supplies; our annual Warm Clothing Collection, which is happening now to help our residents stay warm this fall and winter; and we are currently preparing for our 3rd annual Toy Drive, where we provide families in need with free books and toys for the holiday season. In January of 2022, we launched Nita’s Closet, named in honor of my late mother, which provides free clothing, hygiene products, and condoms to those in need, as she used to do. Save Our Families’ focus on the children that are affected by substance abuse sets us apart; including youth affected by a caregiver’s substance abuse, as well as those struggling with substance abuse themselves. We have a wrap-around care model, which means if we cannot directly provide you with a service or resource you are seeking, we will provide referrals to other organizations that can help fulfill those needs. One of the most significant issues we’ve faced is finding detox/rehabilitation programs for minors in the city of Cleveland. I’ve taken teenagers into my own home while working with social services to get placement and treatment. We are proud to be able to fill in the gap, as there is a lack of youth substance abuse support in our area. So, in essence, we create brand loyalty by building relationships and being directly involved in our communities.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

In the nonprofit sector, resilience is the key to building and sustaining the organization. We are constantly in the race to secure funding to keep our programs free and accessible. As a growing organization, we must pivot and rely on our ability to be innovative and resourceful. There have been times when we are unsure how we will pay the phone bill or keep supplies on hand to support our programs. Thankfully, we have built a network of extraordinary members of the communities we work in, and oftentimes, we can count on them to support our programs.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.saveour.family
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saveourfamilies/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saveourfamiliesorg
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/save-our-families/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/saveourfam

Image Credits
Photos of Kristy Steele by Kayla Palmentera