Our Story
From System Frustration to System Transformation
In The Gap Academy was born out of a deeply personal conviction:
People deserve more than what the system gives them.
Our founder, Esther O. Popoola, spent years working in clinical settings where clients were treated like case numbers and staff were expected to prioritize paperwork over people. The environments were cold, the programs rigid, and the outcomes limited — especially for Black and Brown communities, Medicaid recipients, and those reentering society after incarceration.
She saw the same clients cycle in and out of care, not because they didn’t want help — but because the help wasn’t built for them.
That frustration became the spark.
And In The Gap Academy became the response.
A Different Kind of Program, for a Different Kind of Need
Esther knew what was missing from traditional substance use and reentry services — empathy, flexibility, and practical, whole-person support. So in 2020, she founded ITG Academy with one clear goal:
To create the kind of program people actually need to get better — and stay better.
From day one, ITG has focused on filling the gaps that other programs ignore:
Gaps in housing, transportation, and documentation
Gaps in cultural understanding and lived experience
Gaps in emotional safety, family support, and long-term planning
Gaps between “you’re done with treatment” and “you’re ready for life”
We didn’t want to just reduce symptoms — we wanted to restore lives.
Built on Experience. Rooted in Community.
Esther brings over 20 years of experience as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Master Addiction Counselor, and Substance Abuse Professional — but just as importantly, she brings real-world perspective.
She understands how untreated trauma, systemic barriers, and broken support systems impact a person’s ability to recover. She’s worked with families in crisis, returning citizens navigating stigma, and adolescents caught between peer pressure and poor resources.
Everything we do at ITG — from offering peer mentorship to helping someone recover their ID — reflects this deep understanding of what real people need to move forward.
From One Program to a Full Continuum of Care
ITG began with outpatient treatment services, but quickly expanded based on community need. Today, we offer:
A full continuum of substance use care: PHP, IOP, OP, and early intervention
Court-ordered treatment and reentry programs
Housing assistance and transitional living support
Adolescent services with marijuana education
Peer mentorship and community education
Employment readiness and life skills coaching
As our services have grown, so has our impact — and our commitment to treating every client with dignity, patience, and possibility.
Want to learn more about our leadership or how ITG began?
We’re Still Growing
But Our Why Hasn’t Changed
ITG Academy exists because too many people were told “you just don’t want it enough.”
We know the truth: most people want to change — they just haven’t had access to care that actually fits their life.
We’re here to change that reality, one person, one plan, and one success story at a time.
Let’s Take the First Step Together
Most clients who come to us have tried other programs — and left feeling judged, dismissed, or stuck. What makes ITG Academy different is that we don’t just treat the symptoms. We treat the systemic barriers holding people back.
You don’t have to do this alone. And you don’t have to settle for less. ITG Academy offers treatment that transforms — because we treat the whole person.
