Ashley Bates Trusts People to Rebuild Their Lives and Grow with Blame Bates, a non-profit in Fargo

Ashley Bates, founder of Blame Bates, joins Conrad Fargo for one of the most personal and revealing episodes of The Fargo Five. Based in Fargo, North Dakota, Blame Bates is a 501c3 nonprofit helping adults 18+ navigate mental health challenges, substance use, homelessness, and reentry after incarceration. Through care coordination and peer support, Ashley and her team meet clients weekly, break down barriers like lack of ID, housing, or transportation, and guide individuals step-by-step toward stability and independence.Ashley shares her journey from nearly eight years as a Cass County Sheriff’s deputy to launching Blame Bates after burnout, red tape, and a calling she couldn’t ignore. She discusses Community Connect, North Dakota’s statewide program connecting providers to individuals in need, and how her organization works alongside it to deliver real, boots-on-the-ground support. The conversation explores the hidden realities of homelessness, the cycle of documentation barriers, and why simple things like an $8 ID can determine whether someone ever gets back on their feet.The episode goes deeper into Ashley’s personal story growing up in Pennsylvania, losing her father young, and how those experiences shaped her philosophy that trust is earned through action, not words. She opens up about family struggles with mental health and addiction, her boundaries, and how she balances compassion with accountability in her work. Conrad challenges her perspective, creating a powerful dialogue about whether people are broken or fixable, and what it really means to help.From hiring her first team members to preparing clients for housing, to hosting the Blame Bates Paint the Night Gala at the Hilton Garden Inn, Ashley is building something that is both structured and deeply human. This episode captures the tension between cynicism and hope, and what it looks like to choose trust anyway.