Bob Coté

It is with a profound sense of loss and sadness to announce that Bob Coté, our founder, source of inspiration, and friend, passed away on Friday, September 27, 2013. Bob was a force of nature, a fierce and relentless champion for applying common sense principles to the challenges of addiction and homelessness. Thirty (30) years ago he threw away his own bottle and began the process of rebuilding his own life, doing so by helping others when he created Step 13 – a 100 bed residential facility in Denver’s skid row to house only those men who commit to take responsibility for their own lives.

Every one of the men who lives at Step 13 must maintain sobriety, be employed, cook his own meals, and live under Bob’s rules that provide the structure and conditioning they will need in order to survive and succeed when on their own. Bob Coté fostered dignity, self-respect, independence and productivity in the men he served.

Bob Coté, a recovering alcoholic and street person, turned his own life around thirty (30) years ago, committing himself to using the fundamentals of the marketplace, personal responsibility, free enterprise, constructive envy, and clearly defined expectations to convert dependency to independence. His own independence was reflected in his rejection of any governmental funding, allowing him to operate with what he referred to as ‘common sense, not common cents.’ All Step 13’s operating costs are covered by private donations, very modest fees paid by residents, and proceeds from several in-house businesses including an automobile repair and sales operation, a detail shop, and a screening and embroidery operation that employs Step 13 residents. As Bob said often, ‘Work works.’ Bob conducted weekly classes in computer skills, continually introducing his men to better career and job skills and then helping them find jobs. He taught self-help, self-sufficiency, and his creed – ‘A hand up, not a hand out’ – says it all.

Bob Coté impacted all he encountered. His powerful personality and unwavering, uncompromising fidelity to American ideals and personal responsibility created believers, reaching from those in the streets who became part of the Step 13 family to the most exalted seats of power, including occupants of the oval office. He rebuilt lives, not only those that were broken, but also those who thought they understood compassion and quickly learned otherwise from the Coté playbook.

Members of Step 13’s Board of Directors, all selected by Coté, are committed to ensuring that the lessons he taught and the values he instilled, will be shared with even more people in the years ahead.

While the physical examples of Bob Coté’s accomplishments can be seen every day at Step 13, his most enduring legacy will be in the hearts, souls and minds of the countless people whose lives he changed and enriched forever.

A public celebration of Bob’s life will take place on Saturday, October 26th at Coors Field in the Wells Fargo Club. Please utilize Entrance C on the First Base side of the stadium on Blake Street. Parking is available in the RTD lot north of Coors Field. The celebration will begin at 2:00 p.m. and shall be hosted by Bob’s longtime friend, Peter Boyles. For further information, please call 303.295.STEP.

Memorial contributions may be made to: Step 13, 2029 Larimer St., Denver, CO 80205 www.step13.org