STEPPINGSTONE HEALTH

"I needed a finance director"

SteppingStone Health is a 501c3 nonprofit that operates four adult day health care centers serving older residents of San Francisco. Founded in 1983 in the Tenderloin neighborhood of the City by the Bay, SteppingStone is now the largest provider of adult day health care in the city, providing over 50,000 service days each year and serving over 350 clients. Program participants attend their center two to five days a week receiving multiple therapies during each four-hour care shift. Participants also enjoy a hot nutritious lunch, see friends and have fun. The Enhanced Care Management program provides comprehensive and personalized support for people who require additional assistance in managing their health and accessing necessary resources. SteppingStone Health also operates an Alzheimer’s Day Care Resource Center to provide enhanced care and California’s only LGBTQ+ program in an adult day health care setting.

“I needed a finance director to help us develop a sound financial foundation to support anticipated growth,” recalls Executive Director Daniel Gallagher. SteppingStone Health had had several finance directors over the years but needed an experienced professional to help create solid footing. In talking to a colleague from a program for homeless families in San Francisco, Gallagher learned about YPTC. “We’re a mid-sized nonprofit but we knew growth was imminent. There are lots of moving parts in our funding streams,” he explains, describing city and state grants, serving as a lead contractor, sub-contracting, plus individual and foundation contributions.

YPTC steered Associate Adriana Vennarucci to SteppingStone Health. “I can’t say enough about Adriana,” Gallagher says. “She’s bright, she’s articulate, she became very much a team player in a short amount of time. Adriana brings transparency with everybody she works with. She helped guide our finance department in the right direction and organized our accounting system which has resulted in clean audit opinions.”

Gallagher appreciates how contracting with YPTC has shifted a major burden away from the organization’s internal administrative processes. “The service that YPTC provides is great and well worth it. The bottom line for me is how well Adriana works with us. It’s a gift when you can get somebody like Adriana to do this work. There aren’t many contractors who are committed to the cause but Adriana is committed to the cause. She’s really been a terrific fit.”