Kristen Wheeler Highland is a veteran Early Childhood/School Age professional with many years of experience both in direct service and in the role of consultant/ coach for providers, programs, and staff. Throughout her career, Kristen has held many positions within the field. Currently, Kristen is the Director of Early Childhood Education with People Serving People. Her broad experiences in early childhood settings and leadership roles have brought with them an appreciation for the rich depth and diversity of settings available for children and their families. Kristen utilizes her past experiences to inform the topics she researches and speaks on. Kristen’s speaking and training style is laid back and approachable, infusing humor and stories from her own life and experiences. In her (rare but cherished) spare time, Kristen enjoys basking in nature, exploring new crafts, and spoiling her grandchildren.
St. Anne’s Place Programs
A nurturing and healing community
St. Anne’s Place is a 16-room shelter for women and non-binary led families in North Minneapolis, where families experiencing homelessness can connect, heal, and rebuild. Here, children can find joy and stability, and parents can take a breath, knowing their family is safe and supported.
Supporting mothers and non-binary parents
St. Anne’s Place offers a variety of programs and services for families in a highly community-centered, collaborative model of care and support. In addition to the support outlined below, we offer flexible services when guests need to prepare for their driving permit test or their GED test.
Community meetings
We hold mandatory community meetings every other Thursday, and guests and staff review policies, safety concerns, maintenance updates, upcoming programming, and resources.
Reflections and Talk About It Tuesdays
Each Tuesday, parents gather with staff to self-reflect, access resources, and discuss any challenges they face centered on a weekly topic. Parents connect about challenges they face and build community.
Housing group
Every other Monday, staff and families gather to look for housing resources and make calls to landlords and property managers. Families share their resources and housing leads. Staff assist with completing county paperwork for emergency assistance.
Finance classes
Emerge, a community-based nonprofit supporting workforce and skills development, conducts financial classes for our parents, covering a range of topics including budgeting. Our parents can also participate in Emerge’s savings match program.
Movie nights
Parents select a movie together, and we provide snacks and refreshments. Moms watch a movie together in the Community Room after the children are in bed to enjoy time together and relax.
Family support and engagement
Pre-K programming (ages 3 to 5)
Each Tuesday and Wednesday evening, volunteers work with children three to five years old, on things such as:
- Fine motor skills
- Socializing with peers
- Being separated from parents
- School readiness
Play and mindfulness
Each Wednesday evening, volunteers gather with children to play on the playground, play games, practice mindfulness, and more.
Tutoring and reading help
Each Wednesday, volunteers help school-age children with homework, reading, and engage in educational games.
Field trips
Volunteers lead field trips that whole families can attend or children can attend alone if they are over 7 years old. Examples include: water parks, museums, zoos, local parks, bowling, kayaking, and more.
Birthday parties
We gather to celebrate our youngest guests, up to age 17, who are celebrating a birthday in the month. All guests are welcome. This event is made possible by The Birthday Party Project.
Support our St. Anne’s Place families
There are many ways to support bringing joy-filled activities and resources to our families. Find out how!
