Dear Aja, |
So much of this newsletter will be new to you because we have been growing and getting better at nearly all we do. |
Words will give you a taste of all that transpires at Crossroads but experiencing it in person brings an entirely new perspective that we think you’ll enjoy. |
If you’d like a guided tour of all we have achieved and who we are becoming, please click or tap here to send an email to Volunteer Director Brooke Ahles, who loves meeting new people and giving tours, and she’s totally awesome! |
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Lastly, I’m pleased to present our newly published 2023 Annual Report. Within its pages, you will learn what is important to us, how we have been performing toward our mission, our unique approach to the work, and the strength of our stability. Readers of Billboard are the first to receive this terrific publication, so click or tap here to download your copy! |
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Bill Sullivan
President and CEO |
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Bill Sullivan
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President and CEO |
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Stabilizing families in crisis |
Crossroads has spent 53 years understanding and reacting to poverty. It is now time for us to be proactive against poverty by applying our knowledge and experience to prevent or reduce it. |
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When asking others what they’d most like to see or hear about from us, we inevitably hear they want to know more about our programs, especially the new and innovative ones. Our three new programs are part of a greater vision and master plan that we call our Human-Centered Poverty Reduction plan. |
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Introducing the Child Opportunity Program, part of the Human-Centered Poverty Reduction Plan. |
One of these new programs is our attempt to arrest generational poverty in children who are born into poor families. We named this the Child Opportunity program because we attack generational poverty by helping the parents create new life opportunities for their children. |
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If the opportunities are pursued and attained as the program coaches parents to do, the child will be significantly protected from remaining in poverty as an adult. |
Children born into poverty without this focused intervention face a very high probability of remaining in poverty throughout their lives, perpetuating the cycle of generational poverty. |
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We successfully presented this program last year through help from our donors who showed great interest in supporting children. Given the successes we found impacting children and families, we are continuing the program this year to extend it to more children who are waiting for us. |
We have shared this extension with our donors in hopes they will continue to fund it, especially now that we have successes in outcomes and learnings. |
| LEARN MORE OR DONATE |
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He doesn’t wear a cape, but his work will convince you he should |
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Joseph Daniel-Hoste is our Operations Director and he’s been showing us his superpower to transform people, systems, and processes for the past six months. |
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Crossroads could not be leaders in poverty prevention if we didn’t have Joseph to give us the strength and efficiency to support these programs. One example of his work is that he modified how we schedule and meet with clients that resulted in us being able to see nearly 250% more clients! |
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SCHEDULING IMPROVEMENTS HAVE ALLOWED US TO SEE 250% MORE CLIENTS |
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Joseph does not sit still. Ever. |
His body and mind are always in constant motion building better processes or policies, creating new ways to perform better, guiding his team to be leaders, or figuring out how to fix something that appears to be a lost cause. Joseph has done more to make Crossroads stronger in the few months he’s been here than most nonprofits will see over the course of several years. |
His job is not for the faint of heart. |
It is big, and it is varied, and it comes with tremendous responsibility and very high expectations. Within his role he oversees and is responsible for the operations of client services and how we deliver those services to the clients; the Soup Kitchen; the administrative functions of the organization; building maintenance and repairs; technology; reporting; and human resources. |
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Joseph Daniel-Hoste Crossroads Operations Director |
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The Operations Director never has quiet days, must always lead with a positive attitude, and must have a figure-it-out approach to the many and varied problems he faces each day. It also helps that he brings in cakes and goodies a few times a week just because he likes doing nice things for good people. |
If you don’t know Joseph, treat yourself and say hi to him. You will find the charming, funny, and witty qualities he has naturally to be infectious and brightening of your day. You’ll find his intellect explains a lot of his major successes. And you’ll find his heart that supports and celebrates others to be inspiring. He is very Crossroads! |
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Creating the space to be heard |
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A client came to us needing birth certificates for herself and her children to apply for Section 8 housing. She came in feeling frustrated and exhausted from the constant appointments and paperwork she had to fill out repeatedly. As she sat down for her appointment her frustration was palpable. |
Her counselor recognized her need to vent and empathized with her situation. They created a space where she felt heard and understood, acknowledging the overwhelming nature of mundane and repetitive tasks like ordering birth certificates. |
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Throughout the session the atmosphere shifted. Instead of just providing a service, a genuine connection was formed by the counselor by being intentional in creating this. Empathy became the focal point, transforming the interaction into a meaningful exchange. We were able to provide her with our expertise and the financial assistance needed to obtain the necessary documents, and she left with a renewed sense of motivation and hope. |
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Crossroads showed me that it’s okay to feel frustrated and overwhelmed. They listened to me when no one else did. That made all the difference. |
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Crossroads sees more than 11,000 clients a year. Each of their stories are unique to them. But we aim for the experience they have with us will always be the same. |
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Save the dates for exciting events in support of Crossroads |
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Harmony for Crossroads:
An Evening in Motown |
Thursday, September 19 |
| LEARN MORE |
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Join us for a special event featuring a strolling dinner, live music, and silent and live auctions at the former Boston-Edison home of Barry Gordy of Motown Records—the home that welcomed the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, and the Temptations. |
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Call for Sponsors |
If you are a company or person who feels dedicated to our mission of improving the lives of people in poverty, please consider sponsoring this annual signature event. |
| LEARN ABOUT SPONSORSHIPS |
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Dining for Dollars |
Monday, June 17
11 am–2 am |
| LEARN MORE |
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Pedal to Provide, Inc. is a nonprofit founded to help fight food insecurity in the Metropolitan Detroit area. This year, Crossroads is their select charity for the annual Stroll and Roll—a non-competitive two-, six-, or 12-mile run, walk or ride through Hines Park. |
$25 per participant The entry fee includes a t-shirt and a medal for each participant |
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Our Personal Care room for hygiene products has been redesigned and organized to make the experience of picking out such necessary items feel more personal and respectful! |
These items are among the most sought-after of all the resources we provide—and are challenging to keep stocked. We really need your help, and please feel free to share this list with your family, friends, congregation, or coworkers. The predictability of recurring or monthly purchases is most helpful. |
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Introducing our Volunteer Newsletter, Giving Power |
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Volunteer Director Brooke Ahles recently launched a newsletter, Giving Power, focused on volunteer activities at Crossroads. The quarterly publication celebrates the heartwarming stories and inspiring moments that define our organizational journey. |
To read the newsletter, click or tap here. And to provide feedback or stories, please email Brooke Ahles. |
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