Community outreach

In the tradition of the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery of Bismarck, a new ministry in the capital city will help address community needs—care of the sick and shelter for the homeless. 
 
Sister Idelle Badt, a Benedictine Sister of Annunciation Monastery and a licensed social worker, follows in the footsteps of the visionary sisters who came before her. With a passion for helping others, she completed an internship for her Master of Social Work degree at Ministry on the Margins, a ministry that offers a multitude of services including an overnight coffee house and food pantry, opportunities for fellowship and building relationships with friends and mentors who can assist them in moving forward in positive ways. 
 
While at her internship, Sr. Idelle witnessed individuals who were sick with various health conditions like untreated diabetes and heart failure, as well as frostbite and broken bones. They ultimately would end up in the emergency room only to be discharged back out into the cold because they had no home to return to for recovery. This harsh reality of the homeless being discharged back to the streets haunted Sister Idelle. She wondered how someone with diabetes could successfully control the disease if they had no refrigeration to store their insulin, or how an individual would tolerate chemotherapy treatments sleeping on the street.
 
Sister Idelle, Sister Kathleen Atkinson, the founder of Ministry on the Margins, and other concerned individuals in the community felt it was critical to address this issue. It’s an effort to serve others as Christ by helping those in need and decrease the financial burden on hospitals while freeing up hospital beds. Thus, was born the dream to start a medical respite facility that will house, treat and mentor homeless individuals who are recovering from surgery or other health issues. The result of this dream is Stepping Stone Ministries.
 
Stepping Stone Ministries was well on its way to opening in the sisters’ former convent last fall. It was off to a “rocky” start to say the least. The building suffered frozen pipes and water damage in the spring of 2024 and a fire last fall which rendered the building uninhabitable.
 
This devastating turn of events made Sister Idelle wonder if she should give up this dream. Before a week had even passed, an unbelievable outpouring of support gave the ministry another chance. A new location was found at the former Railway Credit Union building at 112 S. 24^th St., in Bismarck.
 
Sister Idelle and Martha Reichert, licensed clinical social worker and program director for Stepping Stone Ministries, put their faith in God first and started over in the new location with the help of Craig Schaff who volunteers his expertise in business and accounting. This devoted team is working with contractors to ensure the renovations to the building are sufficient to house eight individuals, restroom facilities, a kitchen and living space, office space and a garage.
 
Reichert, a long-time employee of Catholic healthcare, felt God was calling her to do something that would have a deep social impact. She said, “In the end, what really matters is how we care for each other. The streets are not a place for healing.”
 
After his retirement as chief financial officer at Mid Dakota Clinic for over 25 years, Schaff wanted to be of service to others. He said, “Since retiring from the corporate world, I’ve always wanted to contribute to the community and be useful to others.” He shared that his experience with the indigent population in the health industry was troubling and he saw needs not being met. He has volunteered at the local soup kitchen and various agencies in the community. When Schaff learned about the plans for Stepping Stone Ministries, he knew he had something of value to offer. A conversation with Martha led to him volunteering to help with the business aspects of the ministry. It was a perfect fit. 

Sister Idelle addressed some questions from the civic community:

Q:      Is Stepping Stone Ministries going to attract homeless individuals to Bismarck?
A:        No. We are not a homeless shelter. Individuals with acute medical conditions will have to qualify and be directly discharged to us through the regular discharge planning process. We will have the capacity to house eight clients at a time. Our strict admission criterion was developed with our partners so that we can offer care safely to our clients/guests/residents.

Q:       What benefit does this ministry offer the community?
A:        The hope is to reduce the continuous cycle of homeless individuals returning to the hospital emergency rooms as their primary place to receive medical care. This should offer a financial benefit for hospitals and clinics as these patients will not occupy hospital beds and will free up hospital staff and resources. It can cost a hospital $2,000 to $2,500 per day for a typical hospital stay. Often people are discharged home where they continue to receive home health care services or physical/occupational therapy in their homes. Since our clients do not have a home to return to for recovery, we will offer these services by giving University of Mary School of Health Sciences students a hands-on opportunity to serve others and gain real life experience as they serve our clients. University of Mary social work students are very involved. Even the computer science students will have a place in this ministry. 

Q:      Is there a security concern having Stepping Stone Ministries in the area?
A:        If anything, this ministry will add security. With the services we offer, we will be able to transport clients to and from appointments and offer a secure environment for them to recover. In addition to that, clients will be offered three meals a day and access to a living space, laundry facility and restrooms. A security fence will surround the ministry, and the building is reinforced with coded locks and 24-hour surveillance cameras outside and inside the building. In fact, nobody will even see our clients because of the privacy and security it offers. We will not allow entry to anyone who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 

Q:        What is the average length of stay for a client in a medical respite facility?
A:        An average length of stay is 45 days, although we may have some clients who are with us for only a few days, depending on their needs. There may be others who stay longer, for instance, if they are receiving chemotherapy treatments over a longer period. We discuss this during discharge planning. Once a client is ready to be discharged, we will have worked with them to develop a plan of where they would like to go. We will have resources available if the client needs help with permanent housing, help with recovery and assistance with daily living such as applying for jobs, budgeting, cooking, cleaning. We want to help set them up for success and will have a plan in place to follow-up with these individuals. 

Q:      How is Stepping Stone Ministries funded?
A:        It is funded through private donations and grants. We hope to have four to seven paid staff and three AmeriCorps volunteers to offer peer support and help with programming. We will have a part-time nurse from public health to provide care to the clients. We have a board of directors and an advisory board to provide oversight and expertise.

Q:      What is the mission of Stepping Stone Ministries?
A:        We believe in the dignity of all persons. This ministry fits into the mission of Jesus by serving the most vulnerable among us. We are called to care for the sick. We know this is holy work. In chapter 36, verses 1-4 in the Rule of St. Benedict, it says, “Care of the sick must rank above and before all else, so that they may truly be served as Christ, for he said: ‘…I was sick and cared for me…’” (Mt: 25:36)  

This ministry aligns with the Scripture, “…Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Mt. 25:40)

We are grateful for the encouragement and prayerful support of the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery who have been serving the needs of the people in this region and beyond for over 147 years. We also pray in gratitude for all the community leaders, students and volunteers who have devoted their time, talent and resources to make this dream a reality. 
The target for the opening of Stepping Stone Ministries Medical Respite Center is August of 2025. For more information, contact Sister Idelle Badt at 701-426-7737 or www.steppingstoneministries.com.