For the past six months, Fredericksen has worked to provide women and children with everything they need to be as comfortable as possible when they come to the shelter and family visitation center on North Wisconsin Street.

“I want to be able to help those that can’t always help themselves,” Fredericksen said. “It’s definitely a feel-good thing. I think we need more people that are willing to help those that are reaching out. At the end of the day, I think that that’s something that all of us ladies here really enjoy doing.”

Fredericksen graduated from Mitchell High School in 2009, then studied exercise science and human services at Dakota Wesleyan University, during which time she interned at the Abbott House.

She then moved to Sioux Falls, where she spent about six years supervising community centers for Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation. But when the executive director position at the Safehouse opened up, Frederickson was excited for the opportunity.

“I wanted to get back to Mitchell, and this just seemed like a really good fit because all the responsibilities I had there were responsibilities I was going to have here as well,” Fredericksen said.

The Safehouse is constantly in need of additional resources, so a large part of Frederickson’s role as executive director is finding grants and generally doing whatever she can to make sure the Safehouse has what it needs at any given time, whether that be beds, cleaning supplies or simply enough volunteers to keep things running smoothly.

Fredericksen said her favorite part of her job is fundraising in the community.

“It’s great to be able to raise money that’s going toward such a great cause, but it’s also fun to get to interact with the community,” she said.

In addition to Fredericksen, the Safehouse has six full-time employees on staff, as well as two interns from DWU and several volunteers who help out on a weekly or monthly basis. Fredericksen said that one thing she and many of the other women who work at the Safehouse enjoy is the variety that comes from day to day: one day may be dedicated to cleaning the shelter, while the next might involve the intake of a new client or working on the landscaping outside the shelter.

“We all are very aware that we have to wear many hats working here,” Fredericksen said. “We enjoy that because we like getting to all help, and no one is higher up than someone else here. We all step in and help.”

Fredericksen said that the summer months are especially busy at the Safehouse — the shelter is currently completely full — and the organization is always looking for donations and more volunteers.

“I think sometimes a lot of people get us confused for a homeless shelter. We just always want to bring awareness that we’re a visitation center and we’re a shelter, as well,” Fredericksen said. “It’s a place for domestic violence and sexual assault for women and children. We never turn anyone away and we always want to help as many families as we can.”