Crossroads Mission : Cedar Rapid, Iowa


526 Third Avenue, SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404 Volume 3 Issue 3 2007 Electronic Newsletter Phone: 319-365-0707 Facsimile: 866-702-8991 E-mail: diakonospat@msn.com D. E. Pat Kane, Diaconal Minister Evangelical Lutheran Church in America A Financial Partner of CrossRoads Mission
Thrivent Partnership We were blessed to have Thrivent as a partner in our ministry here at CrossRoads Mission. All members of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans who donate money toward our support can fill out a GivingPlus Gift Form, and Thrivent will provide matching funds to CrossRoads Mission. Please contact Pat Kane for further details on how to make your contributions grow at 981-1273.	Food For The Hungry In July, 2007 we provided emergency food to 388 of Godâs children. During our first six months in operation we have provided food to 1,033 folks. Unfortunately the depth of poverty in our mission field and the need for emergency food has exceeded our church partnerâs donations of food,	as well as our expectations. We have passed our U.S.D.A. inspection to become a member of the HACAP Food Reservoir here in Linn County. We have begun to purchase food from the Reservoir to keep up with the demand. This allows us to purchase food for pennies on the dollar. A lot cheaper than an individual can purchase it to donate. For every dollar donated to the support of CrossRoads Mission which is spent on food purchases, we can purchase 4 to 6 times the amount of food as we do not pay retail prices. We pray that you will consider donating money

rather than food so we can get the ãbiggest bang for the buckä in food purchases. VOLUNTEER CALL! We have a number of volunteers who now greet our guests and provide the Christian gift of hospitality. We find that they are mainly baby boomers and seniors with a heart of discipleship to help their neighbors. We still have some openings which require the help of volunteer guests as hosts and hostesses at the mission. We invite each of you who have time available during the hours we are open to come spend a day in the mission and experience Godâs blessings and love in action. If you like what you see and spiritually take home with you, we would be glad to talk further about our volunteer opportunities with you.	All Cedar River Conference Pastors in the Southeastern Iowa Synod (ELCA) All pastors in the Cedar River Conference of the Southeastern Iowa Synod are invited to call Pat Kane at 981-1273, and arrange to take a tour of our fully operational local mission we call CrossRoads Mission. As an extension of your congregation and your ministry, we would like to find ways to better serve you and become a better resource to you. All Christian Faith Communities As an ecumenical mission located in Linn County, we are an extension of your congregations and your ministries as well. We invite you to schedule a	convenient time to visit your local mission here at CrossRoads Mission. Come learn about the emergency spiritual, food, and clothing programs available to you for referral. Also, a viable car donation program and free health insurance for those in need. Please call Pat Kane today at 981-1273. HELPING HANDS MINISTRY Helping Hands Ministry has been working miracles in the lives of the disenfranchised here at CrossRoads Mission with our cooperative ministry partnership. Each Wednesday, Helping Hands holds office hours at the mission on the Southwest side of Cedar Rapids to serve the poor

n the areas of housing, utilities, transportation, etc. Since its beginning here at CrossRoads Mission the need has been great. What we do not have are donations earmarked for the CrossRoads Mission (Southwest office) for Helping Hands Ministry. It has come to my attention that if individuals and congregations do not begin to support Helping Hands Ministry on the West side of Cedar Rapids, it will once again become predominately an East side ministry again. We must be self-funded. Therefore, contributions, individual and Westside churches must be made out to: Helping Hands ö CRM. These funds will be distributed through the West office of Helping Hands Ministry located at CrossRoads Mission. Otherwise, the funds will be distributed on the Eastside at their main office, and last year 89% of their funding supported those in poverty on the Southeast side of Cedar Rapids.	CAR DONATION PROGRAM We are pleased to announce the continued success of our car donation program. It is designed to help those without transportation, and who need a car to maintain employment to receive a serviceable car. In our first six months we have received six donations. We are also partnering with pastors in congregations and have to date filled two requests from pastors for cars to keep a member of their congregation employed by providing them with transportation. Both single mothers were very thankful for the Christian gifts. The program is becoming even more popular as the donors can write the Blue Book value off their income tax, and help someone stay employed. Please keep our car donation program in your prayer life. This may be a wonderful and blessed way to contribute to someone who needs the tools to help lift them out of poverty. Contact Pat Kane for further details @ 981-1273.	MISSION HEALTH Mission Health is a component of Barnabas Uplift. A program sponsored by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque, the three Iowa Synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Muslim American Society of Iowa, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Lutheran Services in Iowa, ISED Ventures, State Public Policy Group, and the Iowa Health System. CrossRoads Mission has been designated the second center in Linn County, IA

to administer this program. The fist center to administer this program was the Muslim American Center located in Cedar Rapids, IA. It allows those in poverty to either receive dramatic reductions in outpatient health care, or if they qualify, free outpatient health care. Crossroads Mission also makes referrals to the free health clinics in Linn County, the Abbe Center for Community Mental Health, and distributes the Linn County prescription discount cards to those in need. When required, CrossRoads Mission can also provide rides to folks who need to keep their scheduled medical appointments and have no other source of transportation. This is a significant ministry with a large need in our mission field. It allows those in poverty to seek early medical care from their family practitioner before it becomes an emergency and they have to use the more expensive route of using an emergency room.	HOURS OF OPERATION AT CROSSROADS Tuesday 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. AA Group @7:00 p.m. Wednesday through Friday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sunday 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday Worship 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Fellowship 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m	Mission Statistics Volunteer Hours: July 2007 ö 296 Six Months ö 1,794 Family Units Served: July 2007 ö 104 Six Months ö 349 Homeless Served: July 2007 ö 5 Six Months ö 15 Food Distributed: July 2007 ö 388 Six Months ö 1,033 Clothing Distributed: July 2007 ö 187 Six Months - 642 Spiritual Counseling: July 2007 ö 23 Six Months ö 109 Family Units Registered at CrossRoads: 246 Total Children of God Supported by CrossRoads: 689 And Growing!

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