Sarafina Scapicchio Celebrates 50 Years of Compassion at Stepping Stone’s Pink Gala

By Cesar A Reyes

Stepping Stone of San Diego has spent the last 50 years changing lives one story at a time. For Sarafina Scapicchio, Deputy Executive Director, the organization has been more than just a place to work—it’s been a personal journey. “I think my very first experience with Stepping Stone was helping out with the Recovery Ride many years ago,” she remembers with a laugh. “I actually learned how to ride a bike just to participate! One of the planning committee members, Suzi Reagan-Harlow, let me borrow a helmet and her beach cruiser so I could complete the 12-mile ride.” That playful moment would eventually lead to a lifelong commitment to the LGBTQ community and the vulnerable individuals Stepping Stone serves.

Though originally from the East Coast, Sarafina has called San Diego home for over two decades. She earned both of her master’s degrees here—one in social work from San Diego State University and another in leadership and nonprofit management from the University of San Diego. Her career has woven through nonprofits like the San Diego LGBT Community Center and San Diego Pride, always with a focus on strengthening programs and lifting communities. But it was Stepping Stone that captured her heart.

When she returned to school to complete her clinical practicum, she sought an organization that specialized in therapy for LGBTQ clients. “Someone referred me to Stepping Stone and its Clinical Director, Dr. Connie Collins. I absolutely fell in love with the clients and the work,” she says. Her first-year practicum took place during the height of COVID-19 at Stepping Stone’s residential facility in City Heights. “I was so sad to leave at the end of that first year,” she recalls. Today, as Deputy Executive Director, Sarafina oversees programming, evaluates effectiveness, and helps staff grow alongside the clients they serve.

For Sarafina, the magic of Stepping Stone lies in its people and its mission. “Stepping Stone is truly a rare gem because it is dedicated to serving some of the most vulnerable members of our LGBTQ community,” she says. Most clients face severe substance use disorders, low income, and co-occurring mental health challenges; some are also living with HIV. “There are very few places where LGBTQ individuals facing this combination of challenges can access immediate help—especially care that affirms their identities.”

The transformation she witnesses never fails to move her. One client, a man who had been chronically homeless and struggling with meth addiction, arrived at the facility overwhelmed and unsure he could stay. “He was so used to being ignored and walked past on the street,” Sarafina says, her voice softening. After weeks of therapy, mental health support, and substance use counseling, he graduated from the program. At the graduation ceremony, she barely recognized him: “He was smiling from ear to ear, dressed in a shirt and tie, and so proud to share that he was still sober and doing well.”

As Stepping Stone celebrates its milestone anniversary with the Pink Gala, Sarafina reflects on the future. She hopes to expand outpatient services, develop more beds for clients needing detox care, and bring the Stepping Stone model to other cities where LGBTQ individuals struggle with substance use. “Ultimately, if we can successfully scale our programming, it could mean there wouldn’t be just one Stepping Stone in the world, but many,” she says, imagining a broader network of care.

When asked to sum up the essence of Stepping Stone in one word, Sarafina doesn’t hesitate: “The WORD is COMPASSION. I see it in action every day—whether it’s a counselor developing a harm reduction plan, a therapist helping a client process trauma, or a sober living house manager preparing someone for a job interview. Compassion isn’t just a value here; it’s the foundation that makes healing, connection, and lasting recovery possible.”

The Pink Gala is more than a celebration—it’s a chance for the community to honor that compassion, the lives transformed, and the decades of dedication that have made Stepping Stone a beacon of hope in San Diego. For Sarafina and everyone involved, it’s a reminder that real change happens when people show up with their hearts wide open.