Gaia Home Updates
Team Love, Sweat, and Gears finishes 3,000+ mile trek!
June 27, 2022
Tribune editorial: Bill paves way for option in hospice care
February 21, 2021
Setting the rules for new end-of-life options for ND
February 18, 2021
Gaia Home Featured on KFYR Kafe
February 1, 2021
Steve Bakken, host of Talk of the Town, invited Kilee...
Kilee Harmon and Melanie Carvell talk with Studio 701 about...
Lori Kabunde and Karin Gardner talk with Studio 701 about...
Kilee Harmon, Karin Gardner, and Lisa Pulkrabek talk with...
Gaia Home Executive Director Kilee Harmon visited KFYR’s ND Today...
BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET) Fourteen people from right here in North...
BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET) Fourteen people from right here in North...
BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET) – Updated 6/23, 4pm CSTFourteen people from...
BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET) Fourteen people from right here in North...
BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET) Fourteen people from right here in North...
BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET) — Fourteen people from right here in...
Fourteen people from right here in North Dakota are embarking...
Race Across America is considered one of the world’s toughest...
BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET) — Riders like Melanie Carvell are grabbing...
Watch the full interview
BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET) — Fourteen people from right here in...
Kilee Harmon, Gaia Home Executive Director, and Love, Sweat &...
Love, Sweat & Gears racers, Karin Gardner and Kilee Harmon,...
The journey for the start of Race Across America, also known...
From Mandan, ND, Karin Gardner, one of the Love, Sweat...
Learn all about cycling in our community and how cyclists...
Lori Klabunde is gearing up for training on her bicycle...
Love, Sweat & Gears racer, Lori Klabunde, visits with KX...
Featured on KX News Good Day Dakota Kilee Harmon, the...
Love, Sweat & Gears Team Featured on KFYR-Kafe The 4-woman...
Quartet of accomplished Bis-Man bikers will take on the world’s...
Gaia Home, a Bismarck-based non-profit made significant steps in 2021...
Residential End-of-Life Facilities Can Now Operate in North Dakota Bismarck,...
The Tribune editorial board supports the legislation for a number...
Gaia Home and its legislative efforts are featured on Good...
The vision of Gaia Home and its twin home community...
North Dakota is believed to be the last state in...
The Mission and Vision
Filling The Gap in Care
How is Gaia Home Different?
Why Gaia Home Now?
The Mission and Vision
Rooted in kindness, the mission of Gaia Home is to bring comfort, compassion, and dignity to all persons and their loved ones, as we nurture the human spirit through the end-of-life journey.
A neighborhood of residential units and community spaces, Gaia Home will be one of the first dedicated homes of its kind in the state with qualified medical care specializing in the end-of-life journey. It will provide families and their loved ones with adequate space to live in, gather, connect, reminisce, and rest in privacy and peace, giving them the chance to truly treasure their precious time together during the final season of life.
Filling The Gap in Care
Today, there is no place in North Dakota that specializes in end-of-life care in a true home setting, which is an option in many other states, but currently does not exist here.
For families and their loved ones facing the final season of life, in-home hospice care is the most desirable option. However, whether due to medical or other concerns, in-home hospice is just not feasible for many, and the current option is to spend the final journey in a non-home, unfamiliar setting. Gaia Home will provide a comfortable, homey solution for:
- People requiring hospice care who have limiting factors which make it difficult or impossible to receive services at their home.
- Families with loved ones who wish to remain in a comfortable home setting during the end-of-life journey but are unable to provide the home-based 24-hour caregiving needed.
- People needing compassionate end-of-life care who live outside of a hospice service.
- Family members currently acting as primary caregivers to their loved ones who need support in administering care or managing grief.
- Hospice patients whose home is no longer a viable option for their required care but do not wish to spend their final season in a non-home setting.
- Terminally ill individuals who are discharged from the hospital but have no housing to live out their final journey.
How is Gaia Home Different?
Gaia Home intends to open its residential units and community spaces to licensed hospice providers so they can offer this true home setting with 24-hour supportive care to their patients.
Gaia Guests can receive hospice services from licensed hospice providers, and Gaia caregivers will collaborate with hospice providers to ensure the goals and priorities of the patients and families are met.
Every Gaia Guest will receive personalized care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with a significantly low guest to caregiver ratio. Family members can live with their loved one and spend quality time making lasting memories as Gaia caregivers relieve families of the many difficult caretaking tasks.
Why Gaia Home Now?
Bismarck, the city in which Gaia Home will be located, is often referred to as the healthcare hub for Central and Western, North Dakota. The need for Gaia Home is projected to increase in coming years because of the aging population and overall population growth expectations.
- It is estimated that 15% of North Dakota’s population is 65 or older, which is the age demographic that is most likely to need hospice services. *
- From 2020 to 2030, North Dakota’s population of 65 or older is expected to grow 25% from 122,120 to 152,818. **
- From 2020 to 2030, the population in North Dakota’s Western four regions combined is anticipated to grow from 402,853 to 468,512, a 16.3% increase. **
- “In the expected migration scenario, the western four combined economic regions (Williston, Minot, Dickinson, and Bismarck) reach a population surpassing the four combined eastern regions (Devils Lake, Grand Forks, Jamestown, and Fargo) of the state between 2025 and 2030.” **
- On a daily basis, 10-30% of people on hospice services may need a place like Gaia Home. The average daily census of people on hospice services in the Bismarck-Mandan and surrounding communities is roughly 92 people, which means anywhere from 9 to 28 individuals each day could possibly benefit from Gaia Home. ***
*CensusReporter.org
**ND Census Office Population Projections of the State, Region, and Counties 2016.
***Conversations with local hospice providers and out-of-state providers who operate facilities similar to Gaia Home.
The Mission and Vision
Filling The Gap in Care
How is Gaia Home Different?
Why Gaia Home Now?
The Mission and Vision
Rooted in kindness, the mission of Gaia Home is to bring comfort, compassion, and dignity to all persons and their loved ones, as we nurture the human spirit through the end-of-life journey.
A neighborhood of residential units and community spaces, Gaia Home will be one of the first dedicated homes of its kind in the state with qualified medical care specializing in the end-of-life journey. It will provide families and their loved ones with adequate space to live in, gather, connect, reminisce, and rest in privacy and peace, giving them the chance to truly treasure their precious time together during the final season of life.
Filling The Gap in Care
Today, there is no place in North Dakota that specializes in end-of-life care in a true home setting, which is an option in many other states, but currently does not exist here.
For families and their loved ones facing the final season of life, in-home hospice care is the most desirable option. However, whether due to medical or other concerns, in-home hospice is just not feasible for many, and the current option is to spend the final journey in a non-home, unfamiliar setting. Gaia Home will provide a comfortable, homey solution for:
- People requiring hospice care who have limiting factors which make it difficult or impossible to receive services at their home.
- Families with loved ones who wish to remain in a comfortable home setting during the end-of-life journey but are unable to provide the home-based 24-hour caregiving needed.
- People needing compassionate end-of-life care who live outside of a hospice service.
- Family members currently acting as primary caregivers to their loved ones who need support in administering care or managing grief.
- Hospice patients whose home is no longer a viable option for their required care but do not wish to spend their final season in a non-home setting.
- Terminally ill individuals who are discharged from the hospital but have no housing to live out their final journey.
How is Gaia Home Different?
Gaia Home intends to open its residential units and community spaces to licensed hospice providers so they can offer this true home setting with 24-hour supportive care to their patients.
Gaia Guests can receive hospice services from licensed hospice providers, and Gaia caregivers will collaborate with hospice providers to ensure the goals and priorities of the patients and families are met.
Every Gaia Guest will receive personalized care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with a significantly low guest to caregiver ratio. Family members can live with their loved one and spend quality time making lasting memories as Gaia caregivers relieve families of the many difficult care-taking tasks.
Why Gaia Home Now?
Bismarck, the city in which Gaia Home will be located, is often referred to as the healthcare hub for Central and Western, North Dakota. The need for Gaia Home is projected to increase in coming years because of the aging population and overall population growth expectations.
- It is estimated that 15% of North Dakota’s population is 65 or older, which is the age demographic that is most likely to need hospice services. *
- From 2020 to 2030, North Dakota’s population of 65 or older is expected to grow 25% from 122,120 to 152,818. **
- From 2020 to 2030, the population in North Dakota’s Western four regions combined is anticipated to grow from 402,853 to 468,512, a 16.3% increase. **
- “In the expected migration scenario, the western four combined economic regions (Williston, Minot, Dickinson, and Bismarck) reach a population surpassing the four combined eastern regions (Devils Lake, Grand Forks, Jamestown, and Fargo) of the state between 2025 and 2030.” **
- On a daily basis, 10-30% of people on hospice services may need a place like Gaia Home. The average daily census of people on hospice services in the Bismarck-Mandan and surrounding communities is roughly 92 people, which means anywhere from 9 to 28 individuals each day could possibly benefit from Gaia Home. ***
*CensusReporter.org
**ND Census Office Population Projections of the State, Region, and Counties 2016.
***Conversations with local hospice providers and out-of-state providers who operate facilities similar to Gaia Home.
How to Support the Gaia Home Campaign
Through the Gaia Giving Campaign, we will raise funds to build Gaia Home to ensure we can provide a dignified and quality final journey for as many families as we can. Gaia Home is a 501c3 public charity, in which donations may be tax deductible.* To learn how you can get involved, please contact Executive Director, Kilee Harmon. Together, we will make Gaia Home a reality.
*Please discuss with your tax advisor. Gaia Home’s EIN is 86-2620272.
Make a gift
Make a gift for the building, operations, or endowment fund. Naming opportunities are available throughout the campaign.
Make a pledge
Make a commitment to the campaign, pledged over a period of up to five years structured in a payment schedule of your choosing. You may satisfy your pledge through payments by check, credit card, or direct deposit. Fill out a pledge form and help us transform end-of-life care.
If you would like to contribute via a Donor Advised Fund, please complete this Donor Gift Intention form.
Make a gift of securities
A gift of appreciated assets, such as publicly traded assets that have gained in value, offer a significant tax benefit to you and help the campaign at the same time. We are happy to assist you in transferring assets to complete your gift. Please follow these steps for a smooth transfer of assets that will make a major impact.
Make a planned gift
A planned gift or other type of deferred giving may suit your financial needs and can be structured in a variety of ways, including a will bequest, trust arrangement, or other income-producing vehicle. We will work with you and your advisors to structure a gift that best meets your tax and estate-planning needs.
Make a gift to the endowment
Gifts to our endowment will support Gaia Home in living its mission now and into the future. Gaia Home’s endowment fund qualifies for the ND’s 40% income tax credit. Businesses (C corporations, S corporations, estates, limited liability companies, trusts, and financial institutions) that pay ND income tax may take a 40% credit up to a total of $10,000. Individuals may receive a state tax credit for a contribution for $5,000 or more (lump sum or aggregate in one year). The tax credit is 40% of the charitable deduction allowed by the IRS up to a maximum credit of $10,000 per year per taxpayer or $20,000 per year per couple filing jointly*. In all of the above, the credit may be carried forward for 3 additional tax years if it cannot all be used in one year. Fill out a pledge form to the endowment to help us live our mission now and into the future.
*Please discuss with your tax advisor. Gaia Home’s EIN is 86-2620272.
Other ways to give
The campaign welcomes many types of gifts, such as real estate, personal property, and required minimum distributions (RMDs) from IRAs. Please contact us about our guidelines for accepting these and other donations.
Campaign Goal
Gaia Home is more than just a building. It is the people, the vision, the cause. It’s creating a new option for end-of-life care that currently doesn’t exist in our community. This campaign will raise the funds to accomplish all of these things. With a campaign goal of $12M, we will fund proposed phase 1 construction of several residential units and the Gaia Home main lodge, provide start-up costs to begin offering care, and begin an endowment fund to support the mission now and into the future.
Construction, landscape, and equipment costs
$5,500,000
Start-up costs to begin providing care
$6,000,000
Endowment Fund
$500,000
Campaign Goal
$12,000,000
Gaia Home Supporters
“The missing piece in hospice care right now is assuring all families that their loved one will have a comfortable and peaceful place to spend the final days of their life. Gaia Home will have the ability to provide a safe, private, and comfortable environment for those receiving hospice care.”

Vern Dosch
Gaia Giving Campaign Committee member and Operations Advisory Group Member
“It was a relief to my mother and our family that we found a residential end-of-life option for her final months of life, albeit out-of-state. Her choice gave her many of the comforts, amenities, assurances, and dignities of her own home. Best of all we had almost an unrestricted access to visiting her. I’m so glad that Gaia Home is creating such an option for North Dakota.”
Wally Goulet
Gaia Home supporter
“Giving North Dakotans the option of a residential end-of-life facility could greatly impact patients’ quality of life and provide them with the dignity they deserve during end-of-life care.”
Dr. Laura Archuleta
Gaia Home supporter
“There are individuals who want to remain in a home setting who need hospice services but have limiting factors which make it difficult or impossible to receive hospice services in their life-long home. For these individuals, having a place that is a true home setting in which 24-hour end-of-life care is provided, would ensure their final days are met with dignity and compassion.”

Julie Schwab
Gaia Home Board Member
“Throughout my life I have had several experiences with friends and family receiving hospice care. To me the beauty of hospice care is when it can be offered in a person’s life-long home, in which they are continually surrounded by their family and friends. However, I have also known people in which receiving hospice services in their home was not an option, and the only choice left for them was to be in a place that does not at all resemble a home to them. Gaia Home can be a solution.”

Chad Wachter
Gaia Home Inaugural Board Chair and Gaia Giving Campaign Committee Member
“Gaia Home will provide a homey option where family and friends are welcome to visit and even stay with their loved ones during the final season of life. The difficult care a loved one requires will be provided by trained staff who are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I believe if Gaia Home existed when my mom was near the end of her fight with cancer, it would have allowed our family and friends to enjoy more quality time with her with less worry about her caregiving needs.”

Kristie Rants
Gaia Home Board Member
“There are many reasons a person may not have an ideal place to receive hospice care in the final stage of their life. Gaia Home promises to be that place.”

R.J. Pathroff
Gaia Home Operations Advisory Group Member
“I became involved with Gaia Home because I believe worrying about the logistics of how and where to care for a loved one leading up to death can be a burden. Having a place like Gaia Home will reduce this by giving families time and energy to truly focus on the person while professionals focus on the caregiving needs.”

Denise Dockter-Kambeitz
Gaia Home Advisory Member
“In researching about hospice and end-of-life care, I have learned this main fact: it is not the last step before dying—it is about giving individuals and families the ability to have dignity in the last phases of life. Gaia Home will offer that opportunity, making the final season more comfortable and easier for families and their loved ones. I invite you to join us in making Gaia Home become reality for our community.”

Terry Rockstad
Gaia Home Advisory Group Member and Gaia Home Founding Benefactor
“While acute care inpatient hospitals do their very best to deal with end-of-life care, they are not constructed for the end-of-life needs of the person, family, or their friends. That is why I am involved in bringing Gaia Home to the Bismarck-Mandan community.”

Gary P. Miller
Gaia Giving Campaign Committee Member
“There is need for a place of peace with people who can help you embrace the end of life in a beautiful way.”

Jeff Essler
Gaia Home Operations Advisory Group Member
“Creating a comforting sense of home is something that I’m passionate about on a personal and professional level. The combination of this passion with my medical background and my family’s experiences with end-of-life care has led me to strongly support the Gaia Home mission and vision.”

Judy Maslowski
Gaia Giving Campaign Committee Member
“Gaia Home will allow families going forward an option to consider as they experience the final season; and to me, helping to provide that option brings me happiness as I know I’m honoring my, my family’s, and Cloverdale’s desire to better our community and the lives of our neighbors.”

Scott Russell
Gaia Giving Campaign Committee Member
“I am passionate about making Gaia Home a reality, as it will provide loved ones and their families an experience rooted in kindness, compassion, and dignity.”
Melanie Carvell
Gaia Giving Campaign Committee Member
“There are many reasons why I’m passionate about making Gaia Home a reality. Chief among them is the urgent need for residential end-of-life care in our community.”

Mylynn Tufte
Gaia Home Operations Advisory Group Member
“Gaia Home will be able to offer other families what my family was not able to have – a homey alternative to hospitalization for my father. I want to contribute to the growth and success of Gaia Home, and I invite the community to join us in this effort.”

Renee Daffinrud
Gaia Giving Campaign Committee Member
“I realize there are many families who struggle with providing a peaceful end of life in an appropriate setting for their beloved family member. This is the beauty of Gaia Home and the role it can play in our community.”

Rosanne Schmidt
Gaia Home Operations Advisory Group Member
“I think about all the people whose hearts could better handle being the daughter, son, husband, wife, brother, or sister, during their loved ones’ final days, versus being the caregiver. I think about the person who is passing, and how they may feel more comfortable and dignified if their loved one wasn’t providing the tough care duties. I think about those people who don’t have friends or family who can help near the end. I think about the families who would prefer to not have the final moments in their own home because of the sad memories it can leave behind.”

Kilee Harmon
Gaia Home Executive Director
“To honor of my father, I’m supporting and sharing Gaia Home’s distinctive vision to ensure it is available for my family when it comes time to say “goodbye” to dear family and friends. It is important that it’s accessible for all of the families who want a new, personal and peaceful option for their end-of-life season.”

Jody VonRueden Estensen
Gaia Giving Campaign Committee Member
“There are many ways to give to our community in a meaningful way but giving back when people are at their most vulnerable, with the most need, creates the greatest impact. Friends and neighbors have been there for me when I was in need. Being involved with Gaia Home provides me the opportunity to return that support, not only for those close to me, but to my entire community.”

Jeff Ubl
Gaia Home Board Chair
“Many individuals at end-of-life are the elderly and often their needs are beyond what their household member can supply. How wonderful it would be to have a facility like Gaia Home in Bismarck where the burden of care can be removed from the family and make saying goodbye easier.”

SuAnn Olson
SuAnn Olson, Gaia Home Advisory Group Member
“The missing piece in hospice care right now is assuring all families that their loved one will have a comfortable and peaceful place to spend the final days of their life. Gaia Home will have the ability to provide a safe, private, and comfortable environment for those receiving hospice care.”

Vern Dosch
Gaia Giving Campaign Committee member and Operations Advisory Group Member
“It was a relief to my mother and our family that we found a residential end-of-life option for her final months of life, albeit out-of-state. Her choice gave her many of the comforts, amenities, assurances, and dignities of her own home. Best of all we had almost an unrestricted access to visiting her. I’m so glad that Gaia Home is creating such an option for North Dakota.”
Wally Goulet
Gaia Home supporter
“Giving North Dakotans the option of a residential end-of-life facility could greatly impact patients’ quality of life and provide them with the dignity they deserve during end-of-life care.”
Dr. Laura Archuleta
Gaia Home supporter
“There are individuals who want to remain in a home setting who need hospice services but have limiting factors which make it difficult or impossible to receive hospice services in their life-long home. For these individuals, having a place that is a true home setting in which 24-hour end-of-life care is provided, would ensure their final days are met with dignity and compassion.”

Julie Schwab
Gaia Home Board Member
“Throughout my life I have had several experiences with friends and family receiving hospice care. To me the beauty of hospice care is when it can be offered in a person’s life-long home, in which they are continually surrounded by their family and friends. However, I have also known people in which receiving hospice services in their home was not an option, and the only choice left for them was to be in a place that does not at all resemble a home to them. Gaia Home can be a solution.”

Chad Wachter
Gaia Home Inaugural Board Chair and Gaia Giving Campaign Committee Member
“Gaia Home will provide a homey option where family and friends are welcome to visit and even stay with their loved ones during the final season of life. The difficult care a loved one requires will be provided by trained staff who are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I believe if Gaia Home existed when my mom was near the end of her fight with cancer, it would have allowed our family and friends to enjoy more quality time with her with less worry about her caregiving needs.”

Kristie Rants
Gaia Home Board Member
“There are many reasons a person may not have an ideal place to receive hospice care in the final stage of their life. Gaia Home promises to be that place.”

R.J. Pathroff
Gaia Home Operations Advisory Group Member
“I became involved with Gaia Home because I believe worrying about the logistics of how and where to care for a loved one leading up to death can be a burden. Having a place like Gaia Home will reduce this by giving families time and energy to truly focus on the person while professionals focus on the caregiving needs.”

Denise Dockter-Kambeitz
Gaia Home Advisory Member
“In researching about hospice and end-of-life care, I have learned this main fact: it is not the last step before dying—it is about giving individuals and families the ability to have dignity in the last phases of life. Gaia Home will offer that opportunity, making the final season more comfortable and easier for families and their loved ones. I invite you to join us in making Gaia Home become reality for our community.”

Terry Rockstad
Gaia Home Advisory Group Member and Gaia Home Founding Benefactor
“While acute care inpatient hospitals do their very best to deal with end-of-life care, they are not constructed for the end-of-life needs of the person, family, or their friends. That is why I am involved in bringing Gaia Home to the Bismarck-Mandan community.”

Gary P. Miller
Gaia Giving Campaign Committee Member
“There is need for a place of peace with people who can help you embrace the end of life in a beautiful way.”

Jeff Essler
Gaia Home Operations Advisory Group Member
“Creating a comforting sense of home is something that I’m passionate about on a personal and professional level. The combination of this passion with my medical background and my family’s experiences with end-of-life care has led me to strongly support the Gaia Home mission and vision.”

Judy Maslowski
Gaia Giving Campaign Committee Member
“Gaia Home will allow families going forward an option to consider as they experience the final season; and to me, helping to provide that option brings me happiness as I know I’m honoring my, my family’s, and Cloverdale’s desire to better our community and the lives of our neighbors.”

Scott Russell
Gaia Giving Campaign Committee Member
“I am passionate about making Gaia Home a reality, as it will provide loved ones and their families an experience rooted in kindness, compassion, and dignity.”
Melanie Carvell
Gaia Giving Campaign Committee Member
“There are many reasons why I’m passionate about making Gaia Home a reality. Chief among them is the urgent need for residential end-of-life care in our community.”

Mylynn Tufte
Gaia Home Operations Advisory Group Member
“Gaia Home will be able to offer other families what my family was not able to have – a homey alternative to hospitalization for my father. I want to contribute to the growth and success of Gaia Home, and I invite the community to join us in this effort.”

Renee Daffinrud
Gaia Giving Campaign Committee Member
“I realize there are many families who struggle with providing a peaceful end of life in an appropriate setting for their beloved family member. This is the beauty of Gaia Home and the role it can play in our community.”

Rosanne Schmidt
Gaia Home Operations Advisory Group Member
“I think about all the people whose hearts could better handle being the daughter, son, husband, wife, brother, or sister, during their loved ones’ final days, versus being the caregiver. I think about the person who is passing, and how they may feel more comfortable and dignified if their loved one wasn’t providing the tough care duties. I think about those people who don’t have friends or family who can help near the end. I think about the families who would prefer to not have the final moments in their own home because of the sad memories it can leave behind.”

Kilee Harmon
Gaia Home Executive Director
“To honor of my father, I’m supporting and sharing Gaia Home’s distinctive vision to ensure it is available for my family when it comes time to say “goodbye” to dear family and friends. It is important that it’s accessible for all of the families who want a new, personal and peaceful option for their end-of-life season.”

Jody VonRueden Estensen
Gaia Giving Campaign Committee Member
“There are many ways to give to our community in a meaningful way but giving back when people are at their most vulnerable, with the most need, creates the greatest impact. Friends and neighbors have been there for me when I was in need. Being involved with Gaia Home provides me the opportunity to return that support, not only for those close to me, but to my entire community.”

Jeff Ubl
Gaia Home Board Chair
“Many individuals at end-of-life are the elderly and often their needs are beyond what their household member can supply. How wonderful it would be to have a facility like Gaia Home in Bismarck where the burden of care can be removed from the family and make saying goodbye easier.”

SuAnn Olson
SuAnn Olson, Gaia Home Advisory Group Member
