In the past month, we have been able to secure an affordable housing unit for a neighbor who had been living in their car for several months. This individual had come to the end of the road, and felt hopeless of ever finding a place to live. It wasn’t easy, but our staff were able to provide direction, remove a few roadblocks, and pave the way for a safe, secure housing solution. Even though this neighbor is housed, we are continuing to provide life coaching and other assistance to make sure they stay on the path that leads to life, and out of the ditches that cause pain and suffering. In addition to this highlight, we are welcoming new neighbors to The Market at Crossroads to load up on groceries that they need. When I say “new neighbors,” I mean they are coming in for the first time for assistance. It is becoming very apparent by the number of people we are serving that trying to make ends meet is becoming more of a challenge for those who once had a plan that was working. Since 1982, Crossroads has been actively present during the tough times when our neighbors have needed us the most. We feel fortunate to have such strong support from the community that allows us to do what we do best. Thank you!

People have asked me, “How are you guys doing?” I generally focus on the impact we’re making, and how great it is to live in a community where neighbors are actively engaged in the work we’re doing. I really do feel super blessed to be a part of such a loving community. And, for this reason, I feel like it’s appropriate to give you an update from the frontlines at Crossroads.

Here are a few things to consider:

• The worker strike at Safeway has dramatically reduced the amount of food and non-food donations that we had been getting from the store on a daily basis. As you may already know, there are temporary workers keeping the store running, but they can’t do everything that the local workers were doing previously to help us feed our neighbors. We are grateful for the relationship we have enjoyed with the local workers at Safeway, because they would make sure all grocery items that were eligible for donation to us were set aside for us to pick up. Each morning, one of our volunteers would go to the loading dock to load up multiple boxes of food items to put on our shelves in The Market at Crossroads. The assortment of produce, sliced bread, snacks, prepackaged meals, and meats are foods that we like to have available for those who come for groceries, but at this time we’re not able to keep up with the demand.

• We have grown accustomed to receiving more than 50% of our groceries from the Food Bank of Larimer County, but as of now, we are experiencing a reduction in a variety of food items that our hungry neighbors need to prepare nutritional meals. As a result of our food sources decreasing, we are purchasing more food items from vendors to ensure our shelves are well-stocked with nutritional food options for our neighbors. I have noticed the grant funding opportunities across the state of Colorado are being pursued by more nonprofits this year, so that means there is more competition for the limited funds that are available. I just received a notice from a Foundation based in Denver that we were not selected for their grant funding this year. This news was somewhat disappointing, because we would have generally been awarded this type of grant funding during a normal year.

• As I’m having conversations with people around town, I am seeing a common theme among individuals who would like to contribute financially to charitable organizations, but feel like they are stuck in a holding pattern until retirement accounts get built back up. Some have shared how they will begin giving again once their IRA gets in a better place, and I totally understand where they’re coming from.

We realize almost everything in life requires a certain amount of faith, and we’re no exception to this. In fact, Crossroads began with a group of people who were committed to taking care of their neighbors in need as they had resources to do so. In the very early years of Crossroads, a group of churches in Estes Park were assigned a week to work in the food pantry where groceries would be collected and put on the shelves for neighbors who needed a little extra help to feed their families. The designated church would organize food drives the week prior to the days they would be serving in the food pantry. They would collect food from various groups in town as well as from their own church members. They would load up the food items and transport them to a storefront shop on Elkhorn Ave where Crossroads was operating during the 80’s and 90’s. They would stock the shelves and begin on Monday to distribute food. Depending on how much food they had on the shelves, would determine how many days they would stay open. I heard there were weeks when they ran out of food on Tuesday and would have to put a sign on the door that said, “We’re out of food. Please come back on Monday”. For the past 25 years, we have been open five days a week, and have never run out of food. Crossroads has placed our faith in a Heavenly Father who has promised to provide for our needs, and we have seen this happen in miraculous ways. Our community has a generous heart towards the work we’re doing to take care of our neighbors, and we are so thankful for the many people who have given so that we can provide basic human services to Estes Valley residents in need. We believe the food that comes in today will be what is needed for the neighbors who are in search of food to feed their family. It stands to reason that we can only give out what we have, and by faith we have been able to provide countless neighbors with the basic necessities for life.

Would you consider partnering with us to help feed our neighbors and keep them housed? This might involve you helping us with a financial donation, hosting a fundraiser, organizing a food drive, or whatever else you would find as a meaningful way to help us take good care of our neighbors. You can make a secure online donation at www.CrossroadsEP.org, or send in a check to 1753 Wildfire Rd, Estes Park, CO 80517