So Many Good Things to Come
It’s said that word travels fast, and you may have heard that I’ve resigned my position at Stepping Stone in order to campaign full-time for Anoka County Commissioner.
I am filled with mixed emotions. I will deeply miss being part of Stepping Stone’s day-to-day struggles and successes. And at the same time, I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done together and excited about the many good things to come for Stepping Stone.
Countless moments stand out over the past 10 years: There was move from our tiny four-plex into our current location. There was the 2017 legislative session, which resulted in financial stability that allows us to focus more on residents and less on keeping the lights on. There was the opening of the Blaine House, a whole new kind of partnership in affordable housing. There was COVID-19, when the outpouring of support from every corner of the community proved just how valued our work here is. There is the second-story expansion in progress as I write this.
I’m grateful for the ways Stepping Stone has profoundly changed me and made me a better person.
Working side-by-side with our extraordinary staff, board and residents has taught me how to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles, to find hope in what appears hopeless, and to have the courage to get knocked down and stand back up again.
I’m humbled by the lessons imprinted upon me.
I’ve learned what it really means to struggle and to triumph. I’ve learned how to build good partnerships and be a good partner to others. But mostly, I’m inspired by our residents, many of whom bravely take “stepping stones” against hardships far beyond what most of us can imagine, to take a few stepping stones of my own in a new direction.
Stepping Stone is firmly on solid ground. Our board and staff are the strongest they’ve ever been and are poised to get stronger. Each and every one of us can work towards improving someone else’s life in ways big and small.
There are so many good things to come.
-Julie Jeppson