Crossroads Mission Avenue

Crossroads Mission Avenue started as a soup kitchen serving one meal daily with one bed in 1983. The vision was to serve the hungry and needy as they sought assistance, which has grown into three campuses serving Central Nebraska in Hastings, Kearney, and Grand Island. Crossroads offers programming to break the cycle of homelessness by implementing a 4-Phase Recovery Program, which includes life skills training, one-on-one case management, prescription medication management, and medical referrals, as well as transitional housing. 

Crossroads began serving Lexington by partnering with the Food Bank for the Heartland in July 2022 to continue monthly food distributions at the Dawson County Fairgrounds. Since that time, almost 17,000 food boxes have been distributed to needy Dawson County families. Crossroads staff work alongside community volunteers to serve approximately 450 families on the first Thursday of every month!

Recognizing the need for homeless services in the Lexington community, Crossroads purchased a building at 907 W 8th St and began serving Dawson County through our Lexington Mission Avenue Thrift Store. The store served the Lexington community at that location for 2 ½ years before moving to its present location at 114 W 5th St this past summer. Crossroads’ six Mission Avenue Thrift Stores located throughout Central Nebraska provide vital operational support for the homeless ministry of Crossroads and are a significant part of the Missions’ sustainability model. The Lexington Mission Avenue Thrift Store has brought employment and volunteer opportunities into the community, as well as needed partnerships with community agencies to offer court-ordered community service hours. The store offers a low-cost alternative for necessities such as clothing and household goods, helping incomes go further! Over $10,000 worth of basic necessities have been supplied to Lexington residents free of charge through our Community Needs Voucher program, assisting more than 300 families in need. The store also offers recycling opportunities for the community by accepting donations of no-longer-needed items, keeping those items off the streets and out of landfills! Every sale at Lexington Mission Avenue Thrift supports the homeless ministry of Crossroad Mission Avenue!

 

A capital campaign to bring homeless services to Lexington began 3 years ago. With the award of a $1,442,800 grant from FHLBank Topeka’s 2024 Affordable Housing Program, construction began on the Transitional Housing Facility this past summer. This project will provide 20 units of transitional housing for homeless individuals participating in the Crossroads 4-Phase Recovery program. Crossroads Mission Avenue’s housing model provides a safe, sober, and clean living environment that restores dignity to each individual. Renovations of the building at 907 W 8th Street in Lexington will provide approximately 4,400 square feet for affordable housing units and office space. Construction is anticipated to be completed within the year. Over 270 Dawson County residents in need have sought homeless services at our closest location in Kearney during this process. Each Crossroads campus offers services that include safe shelter, hot meals, life skills classes, and personalized case management, which helps our guests achieve employment, financial independence, and stable housing. 

Crossroads Mission Avenue is a non-profit that has been serving the homeless and needy in Central Nebraska for over 42 years. This year’s Give BIG Lex goal is to raise the necessary funding for our Capital Campaign as we prepare to open our Lexington facility and provide critical homeless services to Dawson County.