STRIVE's first home was in the basement of the James Weldon Johnson Housing Project in East Harlem, NY.		The STRIVE employment model was introduced in New York in 1984. The characteristics that set the model apart are its four weeks of intensive attitudinal training and its two years of graduate follow-up. Together, these produce low costs, fast entry into the workforce, and high job retention rates. Because of the effectiveness of this approach, STRIVE has been featured on "60 Minutes " three times since 1997. Elements of the model have been widely adopted throughout the employment field in the U. S. Boston STRIVE was the fourth "STRIVE " to open, after New York City (the first), Pittsburgh and Chicago . STRIVE centers are now in 20 U.S. cities plus London . Plans are underway to open a STRIVE in Israel and possibly South Africa . As is the case with Boston, all the centers are independent in terms of governance and funding; some are free standing 501(c)(3)'s (like Boston) and others are components of existing organizations (including Goodwill Industries, the Salvation Army, homeless shelters, government entities, churches, family centers, and community action groups). In 2001 "STRIVE National " was set up to provide training and communication among the centers.
STRIVE Boston, Washington Street in Dorchester, MA		Boston Employment Service commenced business in 1994 in quarters loaned by Federated Orchestra Neighborhood Houses. In 1998,it moved into its own newly renovated space on Washington Street in Dorchester . In 1999, it opened a newly built second site at the Ruggles "T" Station in Roxbury. Also in 1999, STRIVE helped Pine Street Inn open a unit under their management at their headquarters on Harrison Street in Boston 's South End. In 2002, the Dorchester site was expanded by about 50%. In seven years, it had graduated 1001 participants from its training classes and placed 723 in jobs (not including the graduates and placements of Pine Street Inn).
STRIVE is an IRS registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency.