Step by Step Impact was born from the life and legacy of Evie Valportodesa, a woman whose calling to serve began long before she could articulate it. From the time she was just eight years old, volunteering at St. Jerome Catholic Church in her hometown of Houston, Texas, Evie felt drawn to people in pain—especially those facing homelessness and poverty. Her weekends and summers were spent at shelters throughout the city, quietly offering a helping hand and a warm smile to those society too often overlooks.

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By middle school, that compassion had deepened into purpose. Evie discovered a profound connection with individuals living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This connection wasn’t abstract—it was personal. Diagnosed with dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, and Asperger’s Syndrome, Evie knew what it felt like to be misunderstood, underestimated, and left out. But instead of allowing these challenges to define her, she turned them into fuel for her mission.

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In high school, Evie joined SPARK, a student club dedicated to mentoring peers with disabilities and special needs. Her dream was bold and unwavering: to one day open a home for children with special needs and a shelter for those experiencing homelessness. She didn’t wait until adulthood to begin. At just 19 years old, she turned her grandmother’s house into a refuge—welcoming young adults facing homelessness and offering them not just a place to stay, but a place to be seen, heard, and valued.

But Evie’s journey was far from smooth.

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At 20, she faced a deep and personal battle with postpartum depression and generalized anxiety disorder, which took years to navigate. It was during this dark season that she saw how desperately her community lacked access to mental health care and affordable housing—especially for those falling between the cracks. Her resolve only strengthened: she would be a bridge to services and hope for the people no one else seemed to see.

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At 26, Evie officially opened her first home for individuals with IDD. A year later, life tested her again in unimaginable ways. After a rare reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine, she suffered a stroke, leaving her partially paralyzed on her right side. For six months, Evie needed full personal care, had no health insurance, and found herself lost in the very broken healthcare system she’d spent her life trying to reform.

While hospitalized, she witnessed elderly and disabled patients—without advocates or family—discharged to homeless shelters. That image haunted her. It became the seed of her fiercest resolve yet.

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In her hospital bed, she prayed. She made a promise to God: “If You allow me to walk again, I will spend the rest of my life loving and serving people the way You do.” The very next day, strength began returning to her right hand and foot. Within six weeks, she was walking with a walker and pushing through physical therapy with fierce determination.

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Today, Evie is not just walking—she’s leading.

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Through Step by Step Impact, she continues her mission to provide safe, affordable, and dignified housing, along with support services for people experiencing homelessness, living with disabilities, or facing life’s hardest battles alone. Rooted in compassion, faith, and firsthand experience, Evie’s story is more than inspiring—it’s a living testimony to the power of purpose, resilience, and love.