More Than a Fundraiser...
One thing I did not fully understand before stepping into this work is just how many people need recovery support here in San Diego.
In fundraising, it is easy for people to picture a number: a goal on a page, a donation button, a ticket sold for an event. Those things matter, of course. They help us plan and keep the lights on. But I have learned quickly that behind every number is someone trying to hold onto something important: whether it’s stability, a place to be understood, or simply the chance to keep recovery at the center of their life.
That is what I carry into conversations about Stepping Stone.
When someone sits down for coffee with me, answers my call, or hears me talk about our 50th year, I hope they see me as more than a fundraiser. I am an advocate for the people who rely on this community. My job is to help make sure Stepping Stone has the resources to keep showing up. And that extends beyond today — it’s about the years still ahead.
That means asking people to invest. It means talking about what is needed. Sometimes that can feel vulnerable or uncomfortable.
More Than a Fundraiser... One thing I did not fully understand before stepping into this work is just how many people need recovery support here in San Diego. In fundraising, it is easy for people to picture a number: a goal on a page, a donation button, a ticket sold for an event. Those things matter, of course. They help us plan and keep the lights on. But I have learned quickly that behind every number is someone trying to hold onto something important: whether it’s stability, a place to be understood, or simply the chance to keep recovery at the center of their life. That is what I carry into conversations about Stepping Stone. When someone sits down for coffee with me, answers my call, or hears me talk about our 50th year, I hope they see me as more than a fundraiser. I am an advocate for the people who rely on this community. My job is to help make sure Stepping Stone has the resources to keep showing up. And that extends beyond today — it’s about the years still ahead. That means asking people to invest. It means talking about what is needed. Sometimes that can feel vulnerable or uncomfortable. “I don’t see fundraising as asking people to rescue anyone. I see it as inviting people into something they may already understand: recovery does not happen in isolation.” For 50 years, Stepping Stone has been part of a community that has kept showing up for LGBTQ+ people seeking recovery. When someone doesn’t have to hide who they are to get help, recovery actually sticks. That history isn’t just something we celebrate because it’s a milestone. It’s proof of what can happen when people decide that care and belonging are worth sustaining. As we build The Next 50, I think often about the people who already know this most deeply: family members, loved ones, chosen family, and friends of someone in treatment or recovery. If you are one of those people, I want you to know that your voice matters to me. You are not on the outside looking in. You are one of the most important partners we have. You have seen what support can make possible. You may have seen how hard it can be to find care that feels safe and grounded in real understanding. You may also know that the need does not disappear after one appointment, one milestone, or one good week. The need for resources will always be there because people will always deserve a place where they can be fully themselves while doing the work of recovery. That is why community support matters so much. As a fundraiser, I get to meet people who want to be part of that future. As an advocate, I get to remind them that their support is not abstract. It is a vote of confidence in someone’s ability to keep going and build a beautiful life with recovery at its center. And honestly, that is what keeps me hopeful. Every conversation is a chance to invite someone into the next chapter of a community that has been here for 50 years, knowing that we still have so much more to offer.
— Nese Mitchell, Director of Development and External Affairs
For 50 years, Stepping Stone has been part of a community that has kept showing up for LGBTQ+ people seeking recovery. When someone doesn’t have to hide who they are to get help, recovery actually sticks. That history isn’t just something we celebrate because it’s a milestone. It’s proof of what can happen when people decide that care and belonging are worth sustaining.
As we build The Next 50, I think often about the people who already know this most deeply: family members, loved ones, chosen family, and friends of someone in treatment or recovery. If you are one of those people, I want you to know that your voice matters to me. You are not on the outside looking in. You are one of the most important partners we have.
You have seen what support can make possible. You may have seen how hard it can be to find care that feels safe and grounded in real understanding. You may also know that the need does not disappear after one appointment, one milestone, or one good week.
The need for resources will always be there because people will always deserve a place where they can be fully themselves while doing the work of recovery. That is why community support matters so much.
As a fundraiser, I get to meet people who want to be part of that future. As an advocate, I get to remind them that their support is not abstract. It is a vote of confidence in someone’s ability to keep going and build a beautiful life with recovery at its center.
And honestly, that is what keeps me hopeful. Every conversation is a chance to invite someone into the next chapter of a community that has been here for 50 years, knowing that we still have so much more to offer.
— Nese Nese Mitchell, Director of Development and External Affairs