Restoring Communities, One Step at a Time
Raised in North Minneapolis, Anissa Keyes Powell has built a career—and a community legacy—around restoring health, hope, and opportunity, with Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union as a trusted financial partner every step of the way.
Born and raised in North Minneapolis, Anissa Keyes Powell, MA, LMFT, LICSW, has dedicated her life to serving the very community that shaped her. Her journey into mental health work is deeply personal—rooted in her family’s experiences with addiction, her own path to long-term recovery and a steadfast belief that everyone deserves access to compassionate, culturally responsive care.
Thirteen years ago, she founded Arubah Emotional Health Services, PA (Arubah), guided by the Hebrew meaning of Arubah: restoration to sound health. Her mission was to reach the people most often overlooked by traditional systems: individuals experiencing homelessness, living with addiction, cycling through incarceration or surviving complex trauma. From its beginnings in Brooklyn Center, Arubah has grown into four locations, including the Healing Center in North Minneapolis, which integrates traditional therapy with bodywork and indigenous healing practices to address trauma at its root.
Arubah’s impact extends beyond its walls. Through partnerships with organizations like Steps of Strategy, founded by fellow Affinity Plus member Kelley Martin, Arubah co-locates services to bring mental health support directly to where it’s needed most. Their collaboration is expanding as Steps of Strategy will soon be one of Arubah’s first franchises, ensuring clients have consistent, on-site access to therapy alongside housing and life skills support.
Anissa’s entrepreneurial spirit also led her to purchase and renovate the Northside Epicenter, a 20,000-square-foot historic building that now houses 14 Black-owned businesses. From plant-based dining to herbal apothecaries and healthcare training programs, the Epicenter fosters an ecosystem of wellness, entrepreneurship and community pride.
Behind the scenes, Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union has been a steady partner in her journey, both personally and professionally. Anissa became a member as a teenager, following in her mother’s footsteps. Over the years, Affinity Plus has provided crucial interim loans, lines of credit and operational funding—stepping in when other institutions wouldn’t. Whether it was covering payroll during a crunch, financing equipment or bridging a $50,000 gap during a challenging refinance, Affinity Plus has always said “yes” when it mattered most.
“I’ve faced barriers at other banks, even when I had assets and a solid track record,” Anissa says. “Affinity Plus sees me as a person, not just a checklist. They’ve been in my corner 100%—and that’s rare, especially for Black business owners navigating an industry that hasn’t always treated us fairly.”
Her advice for other small business owners considering a financial institution? “If you want a financial partner who values relationships and is willing to take a chance on you when others won’t—Affinity Plus is the place to go.”
For Anissa, that trust is mutual. “I know my money is being used for good. I know they’re making thoughtful choices. And I know they’re helping disrupt harmful cycles that keep people from accessing capital. That makes them more than a bank—they’re part of the solution.”
