We are more than a shelter.
We are a path to housing.

Who We Are

Our History

First Step Shelter opened on December 11th, 2019 as a Homeless shelter for single adults in Volusia County.  We are not just a place for homeless individuals to sleep and get a hot meal, we offer health, addiction, and counseling services as well as helping residents find jobs and housing.  Our goal is to end homelessness in Volusia county one person at a time. ABOUT FIRST STEP SHELTER: First Step Shelter is a transitional Homeless shelter for single adults in the Volusia County local government communities that have agreed to provide ongoing funding. Residents live with us while receiving services to stabilize their lives, get jobs, and find housing. The shelter also offers a 24/7/365 Safe Zone available to local government investor partners to enable them to provide an alternative to incarceration for relocating homeless who are loitering or trespassing in public spaces and on private property. This is a highly valued service in local communities giving the legal ability to enforce civil order in their public and private properties.

KEY STAKEHOLDERS:

  • Adult Homeless population within our community (18+ single)
  •  City and County elected officials
  •  Law Enforcement
  • Social Service Agencies directly related to homelessness
  •  Social Services Providers and Health Care Providers within our community
  • Faith-Based organizations and institutions
  • The business community, lead employers, and neighborhood boards, especially in areas with a high concentration of people experiencing homelessness

Our mission

First Step Shelter assists homeless, single adult men and women, who have the potential
to stabilize their life and live independently, to move from homelessness to housing. We work in partnership with fellow
community organizations to maximize services and resources in order to reduce the homeless persons living in Volusia
County. At First Step we go beyond assessment and temporary shelter by addressing our resident’s medical, social,
spiritual, mental, occupational, and financing needs. As our residents become stable and self-sufficient, we assist them
with the final step of transitioning into housing. First Step Shelter is more than a shelter, we are the path to housing.

Administration
& Staff

First Step Shelter is dedicated to ensuring that no one in our community has to face homelessness alone. 

Meet the First Step Shelter Team

Victoria Fahlberg

Executive Director
email- victoriafahlberg@firststepshelter.org

Dr. Fahlberg has a PhD in Clinical Psychology and a Master of Public Health in Population and International Health from Harvard. She has founded two successful non-profits, one in Lowell, MA and the other in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  She brings strong leadership, administrative, fundraising, and project management skills to First Step Shelter. She is a published author and co-editor in the field of domestic violence.  She has been recognized as a community leader, and was named among the Citizens of the Year (Lowell Sun, Jan. 16, 2010), 25 Most Fascinating People of 2009 (Lowell Sun, Dec. 31, 2009), and Women Making a Difference (Lowell Sun, Nov. 4, 2003)..

Patrick Smith

Director of Philanthropy & Engagement
Administrative Assistat

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Daniel Feireman

Case Manager

Beata Sienkiewicz

Case Manager

William Clinkscale

Driver Transportation

Marty Allen

Kitchen

Janice Bell

Kitchen

Robert Pavano

Kitchen

Kecia McKinley

Case Manager
Outreach Coordinator

Angelique Joe

Security
Activities Coordinator

Kim Kelly, ,,LPN

Health Unit Staff

Janet Cullum

Activities Coordinator

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors enables First Step Shelter to achieve its mission by being advocates and champions throughout the community, ensuring the establishment and implementation of appropriate policies and procedures, actively participating in resource development, and exercising stewardship and oversight. The City of Daytona Beach Commission appoints the Board of Directors.  

Derrick Henry

Board Chair

Derrick L. Henry, a Daytona Beach native, is serving his second term as mayor of the City of Daytona Beach. In addition to his role as Daytona Beach’s mayor, he serves as a school-based administrator for the Volusia County School District. Prior to serving as the city’s top elected official, Mayor Henry was a teacher, assistant principal, high school basketball coach at Mainland High school, where he was recognized as Volusia County’s Social Studies “Teacher of the Year” in 1998-1999. He also served as the city’s Zone 5 commissioner from 2009 to 2011. As chairman of the First Step Shelter’s board of directors, Mayor Henry has been committed to working collaboratively with community stakeholders to build and operate Volusia County’s only come-as-you-are shelter

Bill Milano

Treasurer

Bill Milano has served on the Ponce Inlet Town Council since 2012. He moved from Broward County, Florida in 2002 with his wife Patty of 52 years; retiring after 38 years as an Educator, 16 of which as a high school principal. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Math Education, a Masters in Guidance and Counseling, and an Educational Specialist Degree in Administration Leadership and Guidance and Counseling. He was honored as the Florida Principal of the Year by the Florida Thespian Association, and, also, as the United States Principal of the Year by the North American Thespian Association, the International Exchange Club Secretary/Treasurer of the year and he was honored as the Alumnus of the Year by Broward State College for his community service. Bill’s service record includes: 2 years as a Ponce Inlet Planning Board member, 16 years and counting as a homeowner association member and president; earned designation as a United States Swim Official and was selected as the meet referee in the Florida High School Swimming Championship. Bill is a member and current Treasurer of the First Step Shelter for the Homeless board. Patty and Bill enjoy frequent visits with their 2 children and 5 grandchildren.

Joan Campanaro

Director

Joan Campanaro moved to Daytona Beach in 2008 upon retiring from her 30 year career as an Army Nurse, where she achieved the rank of Colonel.    She brings with her a wealth of experience in leadership within the health care environment serving in positions of middle management, director, Chief Nursing Officer and the military equivalent of CEO.  Joan is an active member of our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and the F.A.I.T.H. (Fighting Against Injustice Towards Harmony) Organization.  Since retiring, she puts much of her time and energy into her passion for social justice and helping those in need.

Rose Ann Tornatore

Director

Rose Ann Tornatore is the sole owner of Wholesale Lighting, Inc. in Daytona, Florida.  She joined the Board of Directors of First Step Shelter in September 2019.  Rose Ann is originally from Canastota, New York.  She has a background in administrative support and property management, managing apartment complexes.   Rose Ann brings her compassion, energy, desire to involve the community, and to see First Step Shelter be supported by all and to be a success for those who walk through its doors.

Dwight Selby

Vice Chair

Dwight Selby is CEO of Selby Realty Inc., a full-service commercial real estate firm serving Volusia & Flagler counties. He is also an Owner / Investor in various types of commercial real estate: retail, office, multi-tenant industrial, manufactured home park and vacant land. Selby was elected to the Ormond Beach City Commission as Zone 1 Commissioner in November 2016. He has a heart for the homeless and has donated hundreds of hours in service to the homeless. Previously he served as the Convention & Tourism Director for the Daytona Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. He is active in the community:

President of the Ormond Beach Community Foundation.

Past President of the Daytona Beach Area Assn of Realtors.

Past President Cardinal Estates, a 50+ home mixed income-affordable housing development in Daytona Beach.

Board Member of Men of Faith.

He and his wife attend Oasis Church in Ormond Beach.

He has participated or lead mission teams to places like Cuba, Egypt, Paraguay, Peru, Bahamas, and Haiti.

Treasurer of Florida Manufactured Housing Assn.

Active Member of Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce, Citizens for Ormond Beach, Ormond MainStreet, Ormond Beach Historical Society, Halifax Historical Society, Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens, Daytona Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, Team Volusia Economic Development Council and the NRA.

Member of Florida Commercial Brokers Network, National Assn. of Realtors, Florida Realtors and Daytona Beach Area Assn. of Realtors.

Eagle Scout.

He and his wife, Sheryl, have lived in Ormond Beach for 34 years. They have 2 sons – Brett, 31, and Kyle, 30. Both are married and they have two grandchildren.

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Secretary

Mike Pannaggio

Director

Mike Panaggio is a national trendsetter in direct marketing. Panaggio’s exceptional vision and creativity have propelled his company, DME toward continual growth and profitability in the one-to-one marketing field. DME has been helping its customers achieve sustainable, profitable revenue growth for over 30 years.

Today his focus is on creating a new kind of groundbreaking sports and marketing operation at DME Sports and all of its affiliates—DME Academy, HSSPORTS.COM and HSSPORTS INSIDER—are part of Mike’s visionary drive.  Panaggio prepped at prestigious Deerfield Academy and then played four years of basketball for his father at SUNY Brockport, where he graduated with a degree in Economics and the all-time record for points scored in a career.
Mike continued to score points in business as he ascended to the top ranks as a commodities and securities broker with Merrill Lynch and Prudential Bache in Rochester, New York.  Mike founded Direct Mail Express (DME) in 1984. In the decades since, DME has grown from three employees and a carload of ideas into an 11-acre, 140,000 square foot campus employing over 500 people, which has become one of the top direct marketing companies operating in the US today.

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