New executive director Reiser shares opportunities, challenges for A Place For You

New A Place For You executive director Anna Reiser has hit the ground running in the position.

"I'm on week six, and learning as much as I possibly can about our programming there, so it's been an adventure," Reiser said.

Opening in 2012, A Place For You is a transitional homeless shelter for single adults, serving six counties: Pine, Kanabec, Isanti, Chisago, Mille Lacs, and Carlton.

"We are able to have people stay up to 90 days," said administrative assistant Kaitlyn Mattison. "We've got some amazing coordinators that work with them for mental health, housing, kind of anything they really need."

Last week, Reiser sat down for an interview to discuss her role as executive director, challenges and opportunities facing A Place For You, and more.

'I think I could make a difference'

Reiser grew up having family a little north of Pine City, and moved to the area after high school.

"I came back for the summer to visit, and I just really decided I wanted to stay, and I made it my home," Reiser said.

Reiser began her professional career working at the Lakes & Pines Community Action Council.

"That was really what I thought that direction would be, working in nonprofits," Reiser said.

Reiser went on to work in both customer service and communications/marketing at East Central Energy, which she said was the employer who had the "greatest impact" on her.

In her roles with ECE, Reiser said she got to spend a lot of time out in the community, which dovetailed with volunteering efforts.

"Fundraising is kind of the area that I end up shining in," Reiser said.

Several years ago, a dedicated volunteer from A Place For You asked for Reiser's assistance with the shelter's annual gala.

"I have some personal reasons why the shelter became near and dear to my heart," she said.

Reiser said helping with the gala had a "pretty great impact" on her, and she pivoted her career path to work in nonprofit organizations, which she's primarily done over the past six years.

Reiser was finishing one project and looking for her next when the opportunity to apply for the executive director position came up.

"I already cared so much about what A Place For You is doing, and saw how important it was, not just to the Pine City community, but to the region," Reiser said. "I had the opportunity to learn a little more about their overall strategic vision, and just thought, 'I think I could make a difference by helping lead them to achieve that vision. So I applied, and here I am."

Challenges and opportunities

Reiser said that funding growth for A Place For You has been one of the biggest challenges she's faced in the early going as executive director.

"We're looking at how to fund the growth that we'd like to see while strengthening what we're already doing," she said.

For Reiser, that growth looks like having a bigger footprint and making more connections in counties the shelter serves outside of Pine.

"Kanabec, Chisago, and Isanti counties would probably be one of our earlier focuses, because that's where we're kind of pulling greater numbers from," Reiser said. "And of course Mille Lacs and Carlton counties as well. So that we can say, 'okay, where is the next greatest need, and how can we be more present there?'"

In a year's time, Reiser said she'd like to see A Place For You have a physical presence in another community, whether it's a satellite office for outreach work or identifying more shelter space.

"We can help those who haven't actually been housed at the shelter, but still are homeless and needing to transition into housing," she said. "So if we're able to establish those connections, we can perhaps have that satellite office, or even more shelter space identified in another community."

Reiser explained that enhancing community outreach efforts increases visibility for A Place For You, and connects people in need with resources and services.

A Place For You is currently in the process of hiring a program manager to help take care of everyday operations.

"The stronger we are as a team, the more helpful we will be, and the more impact we can have," Reiser said.

Reiser also mentioned that A Place For You is also navigating recent uncertainty with some government programs, including SNAP.

"It's going to affect a lot of people financially, which could then impact the work that we're doing, first of all by enhancing the need, and then perhaps it could impact our funding," she said.

'There's still work to be done'

In 2023, A Place For You embarked on a $2.1 million renovation project to increase capacity at the shelter to 14 rooms and added a commercial kitchen.

Reiser said funding a second phase of renovations — including upgrading bathroom accessibility — is one of A Place For You's biggest needs.

"There's still work to be done," she said. "I know it was a big renovation, but we were limited in the things that we could do the first time around."

The ballpark figure for work that needs to be done is about $80,000. Reiser said the shelter's recent gala raised $10,000 specifically for that project.

"I'm looking for additional funds to help realize that," she said. "Once we have our funding plan in place, that'll help with the timeline, but we would like to accomplish that in the next year."

Reiser said donations to A Place For You can be made directly through the shelter's website, which is also where interested parties can sign up for the Meal Train program.

Potential volunteers who want to be involved on a regular basis can reach out to Reiser about opportunities; Reiser said the shelter endeavors to match needs with strengths.

"You'll be hearing more from us, and seeing more from us," Reiser said. "If you want to get involved, we're excited to hear from the community how they'd like to be involved."