Changed Lives

Once the high school homecoming queen and cheer captain, Ashley never thought she’d hit rock bottom. She was raised by her mom and grandmother and had a happy childhood.

But her happy world came crumbling down as an adult. An unhealthy marriage left her heartbroken… she turned to alcohol to cope with the pain and developed a destructive addiction.

After her divorce, she replaced alcohol with other substances. This led to bad choices that got her arrested and she lost custody of her kids.

But while in prison, her relationship with God grew stronger. When she was released, Ashley came to Crossroads because she knew the faith-based program could provide the structure she needed to continue deepening her faith.

Now, she has found healing through devotions and being around positive people who share her faith. “I prayed a lot when I was in prison, and I really feel like I was supposed to come here,” she says.

She is grateful to Crossroads for providing basic necessities and resources to help her budget and save money. She also appreciates the emotional support from staff. Before coming to the Mission, she was very unsure about her future. “The Mission staff really invest their time getting to know you and give their advice.”

Ashley once limited herself when looking to the future, but thanks to encouragement from staff, she is learning to aim higher and pursue associate and bachelor’s degrees. “They tell me, ‘Don’t sell yourself short. You have more to offer.’” She also plans to get her driver’s license again and get a car so she can visit and rebuild her relationship with her kids.

Your gifts are bearing fruit in the lives of people like Ashley. Now, her heart is full of hope this fall… thanks to your kindness! “After coming to the Mission, I know God’s in control and everything’s going to be OK.”

Although Robert’s parents divorced when he was three years old, he had a good upbringing. He doesn’t blame anyone but himself for his alcoholism, which started as recreational drinking.

He tried to get help at different shelters, but something was always missing. He needed a faith-based foundation for lasting recovery. Robert came to Crossroads and knew it was different. Through our staff’s care and compassion, he experienced Christ’s love. “Crossroads is the first place I’ve been to where they love the Lord,” he says.  “They’re family, and every time you fall off the wagon, they’ll hug you like you never left.” He is grateful for the Mission’s unconditional support to help him heal. “Now, I’ve given myself to the Lord. I’m getting my life and family back … and my own place for the first time.”

“I never really had a mom who was there for me,” Jessica reflects. She experienced a lot of trauma growing up with a single mom who had three jobs. “I sometimes wondered if she worked so much because she didn’t want to be home.” 

At one point, she became a ward of the state. This combined with the mental health struggles of her family took a toll on Jessica as a child.

“My teenage years were not any better. I had no help growing up, and was taken advantage of my whole life, even by my family,” she shares. At 17, she turned to substances to cope with that feeling of neglect, admitting, “Bad attention is better than no attention.”

At her lowest point, Jessica’s choices landed her in prison… and she lost custody of her children. After she was released, Jessica felt determined to change her life around and she came to the Mission where she was warmly welcomed. “I was very happy,” she recalls.

She is grateful to the Mission for giving her stable housing so she can get her kids back. “This is the best thing that has ever happened to me,” she says.

“Since coming to the Mission, I am very hopeful for housing, getting my girls back and starting a new life.”

Crossroads has provided Jessica with the support she never had. “I’ve always had to do everything by myself. The support system here is phenomenal. Any resources I need, day-to-day interactions, are great,” she says. “It’s more than I could ask for.”

Beyond the services to help her get back on track, Jessica is grateful to have people she can talk to and count on. “Crossroads is like a family. It’s a whole different experience being here. It’s great and I’m very thankful for it.”

Thank you for your love and support of neighbors like Jessica. Your kindness has reminded her that she is not alone and that a better life is possible! “I’m thankful to the Mission for showing me that there are good people out there, showing me my self-worth, helping me with housing and for being there for me.”

Juan immigrated to the U.S. from Cuba when he was 42 years old. When he lost his home, he had no family here and had to move in temporarily with a friend. His Huntington’s disease was getting worse, he lost his Medicaid and couldn’t get any support.

By God’s grace, a neighbor told him about Crossroads Mission Avenue and brought him here. “My life has been completely different since coming to the Mission,” he says.

Once he got to Crossroads, he got the help he needed to get his Medicaid and Social Security Disability Insurance in place. Now he’ll be able to move into a supportive living situation where he can get the level of care he needs!

“I’m thankful to Crossroads for everything. They gave me total support for my situation. This is an important place.” 

Markys can trace the root of his struggles back to childhood. He suffered abuse from a family member he thought he could trust… and he was never the same again. Growing up, Markys gravitated to the wrong crowd. “It was just constant drinking and drug use. I started doing the same thing… I wanted to escape my painful memories,” he shares.

As an adult, Markys couldn’t shake the feelings of anger and sadness. “When I looked in the mirror, all I saw was ‘bad,’” he remembers. Between addiction and his temper, he struggled to build relationships and establish a stable home life. One night, an alcohol-fueled argument with his roommates landed him behind bars.

His stint in jail turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Markys was visited by a kind missionary who encouraged him to learn about the Lord. “I was ready to change, so I started going to church. That’s when I accepted Christ into my heart.”

Upon his release, Markys had nowhere to go. He lived in an abandoned trailer for a while. Thankfully, he remembered the missionary telling him about Crossroads Mission Avenue, so he came to us for help.

“By learning to pray again, I discovered the good that lives inside me.”

As soon as Markys arrived at the Mission, he was warmly welcomed by the staff and other guests. Through our 4-Phase Recovery Program, Markys found and maintained his sobriety, developed life and job skills, and was able to practice what he’d gained by working and giving back. “Crossroads was really there for me,” he says.

Our Christ-centered setting played a critical role in supporting Markys’ recovery. Here, he was able to deepen his relationship with the Lord and draw strength from the community around him. He’s made lasting friendships with people he can trust.

Now, Markys is experiencing God’s gift of new life! Thank you for empowering him to follow Christ’s calling in his life. “The Mission has inspired me to help those who are still struggling. I’m grateful they’ve shown me the way!”

Derrick had an abusive childhood filled with drugs and violence. He too developed an addiction that led him to drop out of school in the 9th grade. Unable to keep a job, he spent much of his adult life homeless.

Derrick’s favorite place on the streets was where a heat vent poured out warm air. But one January night, temperatures dropped so low he didn’t think he could survive. He came to Crossroads Mission Avenue for a warm shower and a safe place to sleep. However, shortly after arriving, Derrick was diagnosed with throat cancer. His health began to decline dramatically.

Crossroad’s staff cared for Derrick faithfully as his cancer and treatments took their toll. He was unable to read or write when he arrived, but we celebrated with him when he learned to write his name. It was one of his proudest moments.

When it became clear he didn’t have much time left, our case manager sat down with Derrick to talk about his relationship with God. Derrick shared that he had received Jesus as his savior. They listened to worship music together, and tears rolled down Derrick’s cheeks in gratitude for our concern for him.

Not long after our conversation about faith, Derrick passed away peacefully in his sleep. What could have been a sad day, was not – because we know Derrick is with the Lord. He endured a hard life on the streets, but God prepared a place for him in heaven – where there is no more suffering, no pain, no poverty and no loneliness. Now, Derrick is no longer homeless. He is home.

At Crossroads, Derrick found a place to belong, and people who loved him. He didn’t suffer and die alone – because friends like you cared enough to give. But the truth is that Derrick ministered to us just as much as we did to him. He showed us how to endure sickness and approach the end of life with grace and a smile on his face.

This Christmas, we celebrate Derrick’s life and journey home to heaven – because YOU believed in the promise of God’s unending love. Thank you for your gifts to give hope to people like Derrick… to support the spread of the Gospel… to stand alongside people in their darkest days, when they can no longer stand alone.

You gave Sherry help, hope and renewed faith.

Personal loss could have brought Sherry’s story to a tragic end. And it almost did.

When Sherry’s husband passed away from heart failure after 25 years of marriage, it was a devastating blow. For two years, she couldn’t even confront the loss. When the terrible pain finally did set in, it sent Sherry spiraling into depression.

She started drinking heavily to cope, and it cost her dearly. “I lost my job, then I lost my apartment, and then I just lost everything,” Sherry says.

Sherry’s journey could have concluded there, but it didn’t. Like an answer to prayer, Sherry discovered Crossroads Mission Avenue, where — thanks to friends like you — she found her faith again.

“I was on some kind of suicide mission, tired of everything,” Sherry says of her life before the Mission. “But somewhere along the way, Jesus helped me realize that even though my situation isn’t the best, I still have him. And being here, I feel safe.”

That’s the power of your generosity! You take neighbors like Sherry by the hand and show them they don’t have to lose hope. You remind them that new beginnings are possible.

If it weren’t for Crossroads, Sherry says, “I would’ve probably drank myself to death by now. I’m pretty sure of it. This place is a godsend. They saved my life.”

Your continued support of Crossroads Mission Avenue is nothing short of lifesaving for many more neighbors just like Sherry. Thank you for giving them help and hope.

Clay has struggled with alcohol at every stage of his life since he was just 12.

As a young man, Clay served in the military — first in the Navy, then as a Marine paratrooper in Desert Storm. But sadly, his time in active war zones gave Clay PTSD. Even though he doesn’t talk about his service much, he still has nightmares about what he went through.

After returning to civilian life, Clay took a steady job working for his father’s company, got married and had three kids. Life seemed stable and happy for a time. But sadly, it didn’t last. Clay’s difficulties with drinking continued off and on. And when the family fell on hard times, it got even worse. After 17 years of marriage, he and his wife divorced.

By the time Clay arrived at Crossroads and discovered the kindness of friends like you, he was searching for a better road to follow. “Crossroads helped me get the avenues I needed,” he says, “because where I was in my life, I could not.

“I’m going to continue contributing to this place and their mission because they are awesome,” he continues. “They learn what our needs are and try to help us. If it weren’t for Crossroads, I might be dead.

“I think that they are angels sent from God, and I don’t know what I would do without them.”

We don’t know what WE would do without friends like YOU! Thank you for making it possible for more of your neighbors like Clay to find the help they need!

Life hasn’t been easy for Jenny.

First, her father died of cancer when she was pregnant. As if that wasn’t bad enough, she and her husband split up … leaving Jenny to parent solo. After she and her son moved in with her ailing mother, Jenny “took over fixing things around the house like my dad used to do,” she says. “I was also a nurse, so I helped my mom with her health issues.”

But Jenny had health problems of her own. And due to her degenerative discs and rheumatoid arthritis, “I ended up having a bad fall and dislocating my right kneecap severely,” she remembers. “I was in a leg cast for four months.”

Things only got worse from there. “One week after that injury, my mom was in the hospital. She had heart failure on top of her other health issues. I ended up taking care of her full time until she passed away.”

Even after downsizing, the medical bills wiped Jenny out so she couldn’t even pay rent. Her son moved in with his dad, but Jenny had nowhere to go — until she found Crossroads and your kindness.

Here, Jenny found warmth and acceptance and rediscovered her love of cooking that she’d learned from her dad! “He always wanted to bottle his barbecue sauce recipe,” she says. “I’m going to call it, My Dad and Me Gourmet Barbecue Sauce.”

Jenny knows without your support of Crossroads, “I could have ended up on the street. I didn’t have anybody else to turn to.”

Your kind support helps neighbors like Jenny discover a new zest for life and the sweet taste of success!

Late last year, Darin wondered if his young sons would even have a Christmas, much less anything to celebrate. The three of them – Darin and his sons, ages 3 and 1 – had just fled a domestic abuse situation. Darin’s wife, a recovering alcoholic, had relapsed and become violent. She ended up going to jail. Darin also had a history of addictions, but was working to turn things around, especially when his wife – now his ex – became abusive around their children.

And those kids needed a devoted parent. Landon, the 3-year-old, has severe autism and is nonverbal. Elijah, 1, was born 10 weeks premature and spent his first four months in the hospital. Both boys need special attention, and it takes a special parent to give it. Darin wanted to be that Dad. So he went to Crossroads Mission Avenue in search of help and hope. And he found plenty of both.

“Ever since the day I arrived, my life has gotten better,” says Darin, who lives in the Lodge Apartments with his boys. “I had my own space. And my boys were safe.”

With some financial challenges of his own, Darin worried that he wouldn’t be able to provide much of a Christmas for his kids. But thanks to friends like you, he didn’t have to worry. The team at Crossroads made sure that Landon and Elijah got Christmas presents, and that the whole family was well fed and cared for.

Darins says that kind of love and support has been a hallmark all along. “Everybody at Crossroads has been nothing but open-armed and caring,” he says. “They love me and my boys like we’re their own.”

Darin, who recently celebrated a year of sobriety, also says Crossroads has been instrumental in his recovery. “It has not been an easy journey,” he says, “but I’ve worked really hard. I’m thankful for Crossroads and all their resources and support. They worked with me when I’ve gone through a rough patch. They help hold me accountable. I can’t tell you how much they’ve helped me.”

And not just in his recovery. Darin says Crossroads has also helped restore his self-image. “My sense of self, my sense of being a man, my sense of being a father,” he says. “They loved me when I didn’t feel like loving myself.”

His self-confidence restores, Darin is looking forward to the day when he can live independently again – “just a little home for me and my boys,” he says. It’s a next step he says wouldn’t have been possible without your support. “If it weren’f for Crossroads, my life would be miserable,” he says. “But thanks to you, my future looks very bright.”

Thank you for giving families help, hope, and a bright future!