QUALITY OF LIFE
Organization: Step Sisters
Founded: 2005/2014
Founders: Ashley Campolattaro, Angela Fuentes
Purpose: Bringing quality of life care to those facing breast cancer in Northern Virginia
Website: stepsisters.org
Destinae Nacin knows of what she speaks. Today, she is the executive director of Step Sisters, a well-known Ashburn-based nonprofit that provides assistance to breast cancer patients. But a decade ago, Nacin was one of those patients herself.
“I received some of the services from the Step Sisters. That’s how I came to know them” Nacin said. “I really felt connected with them – somebody in my community who was kind enough to do something so simple.”
After making a full recovery, Nacin started volunteering with Step Sisters, becoming more and more involved until she started leading the organization in 2024.
Step Sisters is celebrating its 20th anniversary. It was back in 2005 when a group of Ashburn neighbors started participating in breast cancer walks and raising funds for breast cancer research while supporting friends who were undergoing treatment.
The organization grew and in 2014, Step Sisters shifted gears and established its own 501(c)(3) charity led by members Ashley Campolattaro and Angela Fuentes. The reason – they felt the funds they raised could be better spent here locally than being distributed by other groups elsewhere.
The group started making care packages for breast cancer patients filled with items such as warm socks, lip balm, hand sanitizer and peppermint candies. And services such as house cleaning, meal prep and rides to medical appointments were offered.
In 2017, Step Sisters took a major step in a new direction and established a crisis fund – providing critical financial assistance to breast cancer patients.
“It can help with mortgage payments, rent, utilities,” Nacin said. “We just saw a need where people were putting off treatment because of financial struggles, so that’s a big part of our budget these days.”
Putting off life-saving treatments in order to pay the rent or keep the electricity on. These are the types of real-word problems facing many breast cancer patients. The crisis fund – and the need – has grown every year, and, unfortunately, the Step Sisters team expects that to continue.
As the charity enters its third decade, its goals include to pair up with more medical partners like hospitals and clinics and subsequently reach more patients. It’s also looking to expand its footprint more widely in the four Northern Virginia counties it currently serves and perhaps beyond.
Whether it’s socks and peppermints or helping cover someone’s gas bill, the Step Sisters continue to be there for patients across Ashburn, Loudoun County and the wider region.
“We’re just trying to meet the patient wherever there is a need,” Nacin said.
—Chris Wadsworth
STEP SISTERS IMPACT
2024 Program Spending
39% House Cleaning, Organization, Laundry
32% Fresh Food Delivery
17% Gift Cards
11% Transportation
Crisis Fund Support
2017 – $11,952
2018 – $15,250
2019 – $18,815
2020 – $42, 280
2021 – $44,868
2022 – $44,869
2023 – $60,542
2024 – $88,639
2024 Crisis Fund Spending
92% Rent/Mortgage
8% Utilities
2024 Patient Care Bags
975 Patient Care Bags distributed to women in Loudoun, Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William counties.
SOURCE: Step Sisters
HOW TO HELP
To learn more about Step Sisters, volunteer or donate to support the organization, visit stepsisters.org.