Providing a place of healing and hospitality

Editor’s note: Stepping Stone Medical Respite Center officially opened in Bismarck September 2025—a place of healing and hospitality for those who are without housing and qualify for medical respite care following illness or injury. Sister Idelle Badt, CEO, and member of the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery shared her perspective of learning, teamwork and hope.
 
Stepping Stone Ministries has now been open to residents for a little over seven months. This milestone has been a joyful opportunity for our staff to pause, reflect and celebrate all that we have learned and all that has been accomplished in such a short but deeply meaningful time.
 
From the very beginning, we have been intentional about building a culture of reflection and growth. Whenever a resident is discharged, we come together as a team. We ask: What went well? What can we learn? How can we grow? These conversations strengthen us and reaffirm something we hold at our core: we are truly a team. And when we work together, even the most challenging situations become opportunities for grace, growth and shared strength.
 
We have been richly blessed with an exceptional staff of individuals who care deeply about the people we serve and about one another. One phrase I often use is that we are all “broom pushers.” If something needs to be done, we simply do it. We step in for one another without hesitation. This spirit of shared responsibility creates a culture of humility, mutual respect and joyful service that is at the heart of everything we do.
 
We are also incredibly grateful for our social work and communications interns, who bring energy, compassion and fresh perspective to our community. We celebrate their contributions and look forward with hope as they carry this experience into their future vocations.
 
Another tremendous gift to our residents has been our partnership with the University of Mary. Each week, students and faculty from the occupational therapy and physical therapy programs come to Stepping Stone to work directly with our residents. Without this partnership, many of those we serve would not have access to these essential services. Beyond clinical care, these encounters foster dignity, human connection and healing in profound ways.
 
This partnership is just as transformative for the students. One physical therapy student recently shared, “Stepping Stones is always an absolutely fantastic experience, and I can never say enough about how this contributes to my development as a future PT (physical therapist). I learn more in 5 minutes at Stepping Stones than any class could teach me. It only further fuels the fire of wanting to be a service-oriented PT in my future practice. It shows me that there is a population that is so lonely, and would do anything to just have human experiences, and just have anyone show that they care for them. Stepping Stones also helps give me the ultimate humility in that life, and PT care is never about me, but how I can use my gifts to pour out to others.”
 
As our work has grown, we have also taken a step to more clearly share who we are with the broader community. While our legal name remains Stepping Stone Ministries, we will now also operate under the name (DBA) Stepping Stone Medical Respite. This will help reduce confusion with another local organization and better communicate the life-changing services we provide.
 
It is difficult to fully express how meaningful this work is to us. We love what we do, and we see every day the difference it makes. In just over seven months, we have served more than 30 individuals. Of those who have been discharged, the overwhelming majority have transitioned into stable housing—into their own apartment, a home or with family. A stable environment, combined with compassionate care and community, makes this transformation possible. We are continually in awe as we witness how our residents change within the first few days of staying with us. Stability is life changing. 
 
These outcomes are far more than numbers. They are stories of lives changed, dignity restored and hope renewed.
 
As we look ahead, we do so with deep gratitude and great hope. We remain committed to learning, to serving and to walking alongside each person who comes through our doors. We are especially grateful for the support, prayers and encouragement of the wider community, including the Sisters of Annunciation Monastery, who share in this mission of care and compassion.
 
Please know that your support is truly making a lasting difference in the lives of those we serve.
 
For more information, go to www.steppingstonemr.org.