CrossRoads Mission (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)

NOVEMBER 14 -- Eat Out and Help the Food Pantry

2011-11-09T15:16:00.000-08:00

A message from HACAP --
It's Monday night, you just walked in the door....the kids are hungry, your spouse hasn't started supper and even the dog thinks your shoe is pretty appetizing...Have no fear...Granite City is near!

On Monday November 14, dine at the Cedar Rapids Granite City and 10% of sales will be donated to the HACAP Food Reservoir.
Bring your spouse, your kids...sorry, but the dog will have to stay at home!
Thanks for helping us end hunger...one meal at a time!
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The Hacap Food Resevoir helps CROSSROADS MISSION fill a gap in our food pantry. Supporting them helps to support our mission as well.
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Don't forget direct donations are always welcome too. Every $ helps the hungry and those who are in need.

Coats for Adults - Quilts/Blankets

2011-09-18T19:43:00.000-07:00

The weather is turning toward winter and many in our community are without warm coats and blankets for warmth. There are organizations that have an annual drive for children's coats -- Crossroads Mission is focusing our request on coats for the many adults who are in need. Blankets and quilts are also needed by many families.

Please share what you are able to share.

Items may be brought to Crossroads Mission Tuesday through Friday.

Action NOW is needed

2011-07-26T18:37:00.000-07:00

A big part of the food we provide to our guests at CrossRoads comes from the USDA Commodity Program. This is food bought by our government from farmers and distributed to food banks throughout the country, including CrossRoads. The purpose is to feed hungry people in our communities. CrossRoads gets this food from HACAP for 12 cents a pound. That cost is far less than it would cost us or our donors to buy it from grocery stores.

Now we have a big problem. Congress already cut the program 30% this year. We are really feeling the pinch at CrossRoads and can only turn to our donors to make up for the lost food – at retail prices.

To make matters worse, the US House of Representatives just passed a new bill to cut this program ANOTHER 20%. The bill is called HR 2112. If the same 20% is passed by the Senate, the value of the food lost this year to just the food banks supplied by HACAP will be $632,168!

The US Senate’s appropriations bill is still being written. This gives us a chance to encourage our Senators Grassley and Harkin to vote to keep all the current funding in the Senate bill. Then the matter will have to be decided in a conference committee with representatives of both the Senate and House.

We can’t buy enough food from HACAP to meet all the requests for food at CrossRoads. The 30% cut we’ve already received comes on top of a huge growth in demand for food. A year ago, we were feeding about 800 people a month. Look at the growth in people fed:

June 2010	800+
October 2010	1200+
January 2011	900+
April 2011	1400+
June 2011	1600+

(A bright spot is that Quaker now provides cereals, crackers and snacks directly to us for free. We don’t get it through HACAP for even the 12 cents a pound. This is important. Thank you, Quaker! Individual, business and church donations are critical beyond description. Thank you, Donors! You now provide way more than half the food we distribute in a month.)

How can you help?

1. Please write or phone Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Tom Harkin (D-IA). You will find contact info at the end of this letter .Phone calls to the local offices are good. Handwritten letters and email letters are good, too.

· Tell them your relationship to the CrossRoads Mission food pantry: person receiving food, volunteer, financial and/or food donor, or board member.

· Tell them how another 20% cut to the USDA Commodity Program will hurt hungry people in our community.

· Ask them to pass the Senate appropriations bill without further cuts to the USDA Commodity Program.

· Tell them that our donors are trying to keep up with the need, but the growth is so fast that we had only cereal and crackers to give for parts of the last month. More cuts will worsen an already critical situation for the hungry.

2. Please write the Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Explain the situation at the mission as above. You are not asking him to fund the House or Senate appropriation bills for commodities – that’s not his decision, but to direct specific discretionary funds within his own budget to the commodities program.

Senator Chuck Grassley

135 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

http://grassley.senate.gov

Cedar Rapids District Office 319-363-6832

Senator Tom Harkin

731 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

http://harkin.senate.gov

Cedar Rapids District Office 319-365-4504

Secretary of Agriculture – Tom Vilsack

US Dept of Agriculture

1400 Independence Ave SW

Washington DC 20250

1-202-720-3631

“Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter – when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and hour healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.” Isaiah 58: 7-8

Vicar Pat Kane - executive director, CrossRoads Mission, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Food Contributions Needed

2011-07-01T06:48:00.000-07:00

Please help --

We are continuing to break record numbers of individuals we serve in the culture of poverty including the homeless. In the month of June 2011 we have served over 1,600 individuals with food. The numbers keep growing and we need your help.

At the same time food donations have been down from individuals, churches, and businesses. For the first time in over five years, we have not been able to purchase ground venison through the Iowa poverty program for the past two months, and will not until the next hunting season is well underway. We are also experiencing a shortage of food we can buy through HACAP. HACAP itself tells us that they are receiving 50% less food from the U. S. Government that they have in the past. As they continue to serve their seven county area as best as they can, we are hearing of food pantry closures due to the food shortage.

We need your prayers and help in stocking our food shelves with canned vegetables, tuna, and fruit; as well as frozen one pound packages of hamburger and canned beef stew and other canned meals with high protein.

You are in our prayers. God bless!

Yours in Christ,

Chaplain Pat Kane

Donations NEEDED - Help Your Neighbor

2011-04-21T18:57:00.000-07:00

Due to the continued high need for food to pass out to our guests, and the continuing shortage of food availability for purchase through HACAP, we are asking our support base to help generate food drives to keep our food pantry filled. The following is a list of our human, monetary, and food support needs:

Volunteers to work at the mission.
Financial donations (see address to the right; or may donate via the web using PayPal or major credit card - use donation button on the right.)
Toilet paper.
Personal care items (body soap, shampoo, toothbursh, toothpaste, deodorant, etc.)
Canned meals (stew, SpaghettiO's).
Canned tuna.
Canned meat. Hamburger Helper.
Tuna Helper.
Mac & Cheese.

Please keep our needs in your prayers. Thank you.

Yours in Christ,

Chaplain Pat Kane
Executive Director

Food and Financial Appeal

2010-12-10T20:00:00.000-08:00

In the first ten (10) days of December 2010 we have provided food to 530 people in 175 family units. We could easily run out of food early next week. The good news is we are scheduled to purchase and pickup food through the HACAP Food Reservoir on Thursday, December 16, 2010. With twenty-one (21) days left in the month of December, we are making this appeal. Our financial donations are also less than anticipated probably due to the recession, ongoing flood recovery in the area, as well as the holidays are on the horizon. So our numbers of folks in need continue to climb, our funds continue to decline, and we are in a crunch to make the ends meet. We have not been supporting folks with rent and utility needs to prevent homelessness for several weeks now due to our current budget.

We are asking all our supporters through this appeal to search your hearts; keep those in poverty in your prayers; and prayerfully consider boosting your support through financial, in-kind non-perishable food, and warm winter clothing donations. CrossRoads Mission is open Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; except we will close at 1:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. We continue to hold up in prayer our local mission supporters as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continues to be at the center of what we do for the ". . . least of these. . . ." in our community. May you have a blessed Christmas and New Year. God bless!

Yours in Christ,

Pat Kane,

Executive Director

New Administrative Assistant

2010-12-06T16:22:00.000-08:00

Good Afternoon All,

It is a pleasure to be able to announce that following Becky Shurtz's resignation two weeks ago, we have successfully filled her position. We wish Becky and her husband well with her new employment opportunity.
The new Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director at CrossRoads Mission is Sally Sova who is churched at First Lutheran in Cedar Rapids. She has formal post-secondary education in accounting with a B.B.A. from Mount Mercy College, and certification in Computer Programming from Kirkwood Community College. She has backgrounds in banking and in collections. She stepped out of the workforce for over six years while she was the full-time care companion for an ill family member, and is now returning to the workforce. She is a welcomed member of our CrossRoads family.

Yours in Christ,

Pat Kane, Chaplain
Executive Director

Volunteers NEEDED

2010-11-13T01:49:00.000-08:00

Good evening all,

We have a great need for volunteers to listen to and record the stories of our guests who come into CrossRoads Mission. The data will be entered into our Act 2007 database (if you can E-mail, we can easily teach you how to use Act 2007). You would also share our story to our guests in the culture of poverty, to help determine the services we can offer. This need exists every week from Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.. If you have an interest in helping to support CrossRoads Mission in this volunteer activity, please contact Pat Kane by calling 319-981-1273.

Yours in Christ,

Pat Kane, Chaplain
Executive Director
CrossRoads Mission
1006 Second Street SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Phone: 319-365-2724
Fax: 877-735-6142
www.crossroads-mission.com

Picnic on the Prairie - August 22

2010-08-19T17:53:00.000-07:00

Don't forget Crossroads Mission's Picnic on the Prairie. August 22.
Time: 12 p.m. (noon) to 4:00 p.m.
What: Second Annual Fundraiser for CrossRoads Mission
Where: Ushers Ferry Historic Village, 5925 Seminole Valley Trail NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52411 (follow 42nd St NE WEST off I-380 and follow the signs to Seminole Valley Park).

Events: Bring a picnic lunch, free admission and parking, live Christian bands, games for children of all ages, box auction, old hymns sing-along at the historic Ushers Ferry Church.

Eagle Scout Project

2010-08-19T17:26:00.000-07:00

John Zauche’s Eagle Project

What: Restoring a transitional housing unit for the Crossroads Mission consisting of a 1 Bedroom Apartment and a Basement/Laundry Facility

In the 1 Bedroom Apartment, we will be removing the carpet and vinyl, cleaning the windows, cleaning and painting the walls canary yellow, painting the ceilings white, removing the air conditioner out of the apartment (for Crossroads Mission to dispose of), cleaning the stove, cleaning the bathroom fixtures, wire brushing and sanding the metal cabinets, coating the metal cabinets with Rustoleum.

In the apartment's basement, we will be sweeping and mopping the floors, moving cabinets, and cleaning the coin-operated washer and dryer.

Where: Crossroads Mission at 1006 Second Street SW. Cedar Rapids.

Due to the relatively constricted conditions in the apartment, we can only have a limited number of people working at a time. Below are shifts we’ll be working, as well as the number of scouts/helpers needed.

August 21

9-11:30 (7 Scouts)
11:30-12pm (Lunch Provided)
12pm-2pm (9 Scouts)
2-2:15 (Afternoon Break)
2:15- until done (no later than 4:30) (6 Scouts)

August 22

2pm-4pm (9 Scouts)

August 28

8am-9:30 (9 Scouts)
9:30am-11:30am (2 Scouts)
11:30 (Lunch Provided as needed)

What to Bring: The mission is providing the supplies, but we still need 3 box fans and 5 6ft step ladders (please let me know if you are able to bring these and I will let you know if they’re still needed)

*Wear clothing that you wouldn’t mind getting paint on*

You can contact me, John Zauche, by either calling me at home (319-378-0532) or by emailing me at If you are interested in learning more about CrossRoads Mission, and the services they offer to the community, feel free to visit their website: http://www.crossroads-mission.com

Sunday, Aug 22 - Picnic on the Prairie

2010-07-28T17:05:00.000-07:00

August 22, 2010
Interrupted by the flood - -this tradition, began before the flood of 2008, is back. Please join Crossroads Mission at Usher's Ferry for the
Second Annual Picnic on the Prairie -

Time: 12 p.m. (noon) to 4:00 p.m.
What: Second Annual Fundraiser for CrossRoads Mission
Where: Ushers Ferry Historic Village, 5925 Seminole Valley Trail NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52411 (follow 42nd St NE WEST off I-380 and follow the signs to Seminole Valley Park).

Events: Bring a picnic lunch, free admission and parking, live Christian bands, games for children of all ages, box auction, old hymns sing-along at the historic Ushers Ferry Church.

Come out and enjoy the day in support of CrossRoads Mission as a public charity helping those in Poverty.

Fundraising to Begin -- Join Us

2010-06-07T21:57:00.000-07:00

June 6, 2010

It is update time again, and for the first time since the epic flood of 2008 this blog article is genuinely a joy to write. We have completed the flood ravaged building we bought in October 2008, and expansion of our services to those living in poverty, and the homeless. So that which occupied more than fifty percent of my time each week has now come to and end, and the work accomplished with with help of Jesus Christ at it's center is a good work. Everyone is invited to stop in and tour our new facility. I am also in the process of wrapping up our grants which helped us in rebuilding the current mission building, and will provide final reports to the grantors by the end of the month.
I now have turned my attention to a downturn in donations. Just at a time when our new home has increased our expenses, we now need to begin an immediate fundraising campaign. We share this dilemma with all non-profits as the economy continues to lag due to the recession, and the small business community is continuing to struggle in it's recovery from the epic flood of 2008.
Our new brochure for the mission goes to the graphic artist this coming Tuesday, and hopefully to press by the end of the week. We keep it in prayer that it will adequately tell our story to our supporters, guests, and the public-at-large. By the end of June 2010, it will be included in the annual fundraising letter to our current supporter base.
Once the brochure is printed, and the fundraising letter has gone out in the mail, we then will turn our attention to producing our third DVD. The first told the story of the startup of the mission, the second told the story of it's destruction in the epic flood of 2008, and the new one will tell the story of recovery from the flood and expansion of our services. We currently serve approximately 1,700 family units, which equates to over 4,000 children of God who live in poverty who are registered guest of CrossRoads Mission and we help to support. That represents three times the number of guests we supported prior to the flood of 2008.
With this increase, we have begun to look at our neighbors properties which are not being rebuilt, and keep it in prayer. Our prayer is that if the owners of those properties do not rebuild, that a donor/s will step forward and help us to buy one or more of them. Then we can work on a building project to keep our public charity in line with the needs of the community and our guests. Please keep this in your prayers as well!
We now have a finance committee which will begin its work this month as we end our fiscal year, and begin to plan fiscal year 2010-2011 budget matters. We are blessed these volunteers have stepped forward from several congregations to help us.
The second annual Picnic on the Prairie at Ushers Ferry is planned for Sunday, August 22, 2010, between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Be sure to save this date on your calendars now. More to follow as the planning committee solidifies their plans. We need your support on this, as it is the major fundraiser of the year for CrossRoads Mission.
Above all else, all things at CrossRoads Mission are kept Christ centered, begin and end in prayer, and our volunteers and supporters remain the heart and soul of the mission. So we again encourage you to keep us in your prayer life, as we keep you in our prayers and devotions.

Yours in Christ,

Pat Kane, Chaplain
Executive Director
CrossRoads Mission
1006 Second Street SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Phone: 319-365-2724
Fax: 877-735-6142
www.crossroads-mission.com

Painters Needed -- Can You Help?

2010-05-03T12:58:00.000-07:00

Good Morning All,

I met with the men's group at Hope Lutheran Church this past Saturday morning. They have agreed to act as estimators on materials, general contractor on the job of painting the mission, and teachers for those who want to learn to paint. They are also lining up potential scaffolding. They will be the sidewalk superintendents, and overseers of the work. Due to their average age and disabilities they are prevented from painting, climbing ladders, and climbing scaffolding. They are also attempting to line up volunteers for an onsite luncheon. CrossRoads Mission will provide donuts, rolls, and coffee for breakfast. This group has also made a significant donation to the mission to hire homeless folks who are physically fit to climb ladders and paint. The goal is to have the building painted in one day.

We are in need of healthy painters, either experienced or folks who want to learn how to paint a two-story cement block building. We also need the loan of 3 extension ladders, and approximately 4 step ladders. If you would like to volunteer, please call Becky at 365-0707 to get your name on the list.

What: Painting the exterior of CrossRoads Mission.
When: Saturday, May 15, 2010 (Backup/rain date is Saturday, May 29, 2010).
Time: Set up and begin at 8:00 a.m., and clean up to begin at 4:00 p.m. (Non-communion worship begins at 5:00 p.m. at CrossRoads).
Who: Anyone healthy enough to run a paint brush, paint roller, climb ladders, climb scaffolding, be an expert paint gofer on the ground, humorists willing to keep morale high, etc.

Yours in Christ,

Pat Kane, Executive Director
CrossRoads Mission
www.crossroads-mission.com

Dedication _March 24, 2010 (Wednesday)

2010-03-20T15:50:00.000-07:00

CrossRoads Mission has acquired an original oil painting of Jesus Christ inviting humankind into the kingdom of God. The painting is created by a Southern Iowa artist, Sue Hooper. The painting now hangs in the chapel area of the mission. We invite you to the dedication to be held on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 1:30 p.m.

Yours in Christ,
Pat Kane, Executive Director
CrossRoads Mission

Remodeling Near Completion

2009-12-14T05:16:00.000-08:00

We are rapidly coming to completion on our transitional Apartment B, and in a few short days will have it finished and ready to be occupied. We currently have a gentleman who moved from homelessness to a shelter in town. He has expended a high number of sweat equity hours helping to remodel the apartment we have promised to him; we are grateful for those that have volunteered to help work and provide contractor guidance; and we are grateful to those who have funded and made in-kind contributions toward it's completion. This completes all the rebuilding and remodeling on our building, except for the final exterior coat of paint on the entire building which will be accomplished next Spring.

The transitional housing may be occupied shortly.
Please keep the transition in your prayers and during this holiday season keep those less fortunate than you in your mind.

March 2009 -- Emerging to Serve

2009-03-31T15:46:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon all,

The Board of Directors at CrossRoads Mission want to thank each and every one of you who support our local mission in any fashion with their time, talent, and treasure. March has been our first month in full operation since the epic flood of 2008, and since we began full services to those less fortunate than ourselves operating in the new rebuilt mission location.
This months statistics exceeds all previous months since we began the mission in 2006. We provided, through your Christian generosity, 92 more families with food, showers, clothing, counseling, job search support, baby needs, personal items, and spiritual support over our previous high of 425 families prior to the flood.
Our baby needs for diapers of all sizes, pull ups of all sizes, wipes, etc. have signficantly increased and we need your support. Personal care items like toothpaste, brushes, combs, etc. are flying off the shelf and we again need your support in this area. Food is flying off the shelf faster than ever before, and we need your financial support to purchase increased amounts of food from the HACAP Food Resevoir, as well as food donations from individuals and congregations.
March statistics are:

193 Family Units
517 Folks Received Food
224 Folks Received Free Donated Clothing

Our increased needs are generated not only from those living in the culture of poverty but, those new to poverty due to the flood of 2008, and those reduced to poverty due to the deep recession we are experiencing.

Yours in Christ,

Pat Kane, Diaconal Minister

First Week - Successes

2009-03-06T17:15:00.000-08:00

Good evening all,

We have now been open in our new location for one week. In that first week our statistics are:

39 Family Units Served.
2 Family Units Rescued From Homelessness.
118 People in poverty received food.

Your major gift of Christian love this week fed and moved a family of three, the youngest a three-year-old child, from homlessness to a local shelter. We will continue to work with the family next week as we explore employment and potential housing opportunities in the future.
Your gifts of prayer, dollars, and volunteer time do make a difference in the lives of God's children who are less fortunate than ourselves. God bless, and thank you!

Yours in Christ,

Pat Kane, Diaconal Minister
CrossRoads Mission
1006 - 2nd Street SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Phone: 319.365.0707
www.crossroads-mission.com

Mission to Reopen in New Location

2009-02-28T21:22:00.000-08:00

CrossRoads Mission has risen above the flood and will reopen at its new location, 1006 Second St SW. The efforts to come back from the 2008 flood is detailed in an article published in the Cedar Rapids Gazette on February 28, 2009.
Rossiter, Molly. (February 28, 2009) "Faith & Values: A Mission Rebuilt." Cedar Rapids Gazette. pages 1B, 6B. Locate the story online by visiting http://www.gazetteonline.com

Rossiter tells of the mission's long road to recovery and its reemergence in the area that it serves. Now in a newly renovated building, the mission which once served over 350 clients, now has climbed back up to serving 300 with more expected as the mission moves back into the neighborhood the mission is serving. The Gazette article chronicles the rise out of the floodwaters and shines the light on this mission's work.
smc.

Update

2009-02-22T06:32:00.000-08:00

CrossRoads Mission will be closed between Monday, February 23 and Monday, March 2. It will open on March 3 (our usual hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4: p.m.) as long as we have an occupancy permit and legal to be open to the public. If not on March 3, as soon as possible working with the City of Cedar Rapids inspectors. We are very close to ramping up to full services for those in poverty, impacted by the flood of 2008, and the increasing number of folks we are seeing who are falling into poverty as a result of the deteriorating economy.

We still have a lot of work remaining on our transitional housing apartment B, and when warm weather arrives exterior work; including installation of the remaining windows, exterior painting, tuck pointing new block installed, landscaping, and a North driveway with parking lot in the rear of the building all of which will require financial support and volunteer efforts. We want to thank all the congregations, businesses, individuals providing financial donations, and the volunteers (over 90 to date) who have stepped forward to share their skills of all kinds to help us in the rebuilding of CrossRoads Mission. More financial help will be needed just to complete the building, as well as helping those who "are the least of these" that so desperately need our help. We especially want to thank Al Millen who has been the focal point of the volunteer corps since October 1st when we purchased the building. Al was the guy, a strong Christian, that has been there six days a week, kept the volunteer logs, and performed a lot of the labor alongside everyone (contractors and volunteers) these past months.

More detailed thank you notes and letters will be forthcoming after the move, and after we have mailed our guest list that we have relocated. As I have watched CrossRoads Mission rise out of the flood waters, and written the checks, and looked to the fantastic Board of Directors we have for advice to guide my decision-making, watched our contractors, congregational partners, business partners, and all the volunteers perform God's work in building a new facility for CrossRoads Mission beyond anyone's expectations; it has exceeded my personal human vision and expectations. Numerous times I had said, "I don't have the money in the budget," and found volunteers laying down their tools to go out to raise more money. My prayers of thanksgiving, for the way God is working in so many ways in the flood zone through all of you, are without limits. We now need to look to the exterior of the building as the weather changes this Spring. God Bless!

Update - Flood Recovery

2008-08-26T12:59:00.000-07:00

Slowly our Guests at the mission are finding their way to us in our temporary home at Hope Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids, and we are registering new Guests thrust into poverty by the flood. Each week, over the past two months, we have begun to see an increase in Guests needing help. The numbers are increasing faster than they did at our start up as a mission. The members of Hope Lutheran have been gracious hosts with a huge heart for Christian hospitality giving us temporary space to work from while we look for a new home for the mission.
We have looked at several buildings, and even placed an offer on one but, we have not found the right one to purchase or rent yet. We are still looking, and last Sunday began advertising our need for a commercial building in the local newspaper (trust me, we are not being too picky). It is our fervent prayer that we can locate a new home before winter arrives, and we can be running at full capacity. The Farmers Almanac, which has an accuracy rate of 80-85% on it's weather forecasts is predicting an early and extremely harsh winter. Our need is great to be prepared to provide those in poverty and those displaced by the epic flood of 2008 in Linn County with support services that the governmental agencies cannot provide.
The U. S. Congress went on vacation, our state elected officials have been immobilized not knowing what the federal folks are doing in terms of dollars they will send to Iowa for flood disaster relief, and the executive and legislative branches of our state government here in Iowa did not have a plan in place to even begin to respond to the natural disasters of the magnitude experienced in the State of Iowa during 2008. As a result a lot of decisions from the county and city elected officials have been delayed by silence from the federal and state government to date. As a result, flood victims frustration levels of indecision from governmental bodies has continued to grow. Some groups have begun to form informal coalitions, and begun to proceed forward preparing to open businesses, and especially, as winter is rapidly approaching, to make homes livable, or simply just walking away.
At the same time the volunteers and faith communities are ramping up to meet the needs here in Linn County. Our local political leadership asked United Way of East Central Iowa to form what has come to be called the Linn Area Long Term Recovery Coalition (LALTRC) to manage the long term recovery response. A sub-set of that group are the faith communities. At the local level we have formed Faithful Response which is a committee for all clergy and lay leaders from all the faith communities in the Linn County area, and chaired by Pastor Tom Carver (UMC). They have elected Brook Lukes, the director of Churches United, to be their representative to the LALTRC. Brooke meets weekly with LALTRC, and monthly there is an assembly of all those who choose to join Faithful Response.
CrossRoads Mission is involved with Faithful Response, and Pat Kane sits on the Wisdom Group that meets weekly with Brooke Lukes along with other leaders in faith communities throughout Linn County to support her. The process of LALTRC - Faithful Response - Faithful Response Wisdom Group in its first month has worked well for those in the faith communities who have chosen to be an active part of our long term recovery which is projected to be several years due to the significant loss we experienced. We in the faith community need to be present to have a positive impact on the human spiritual suffering, and present to relieve the human physical and emotional suffering, filling in the cracks where governments fail to provide support.
The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee is about half way through the assessment portion of the faith communities national and statewide response to the floods and tornadoes. This is the first step in long term recovery by the faith community. The assessments will provide a more accurate picture to follow on groups as to what is needed in everything from mental health to volunteers to donations, even to how many toilet bowls we will need as we rebuild.
Church World Service is currently doing assessments, training of local groups, and preparing to get publicity out to all the major faith communities at the national level. Pat Kane has been attending flood training this past week with other faith and non profit agencies to understand the magnitude of the interfaith groups that are beginning to put "boots on the ground" here in Linn County.
Catholic Charities Flood Response and Lutheran Disaster Response will begin working with local agencies in Case Advocacy as soon as the assessments have been completed. Case plans will be developed as to the kinds of support each family unit requires, and they will have an advocate to help walk them through the maze of recovery. The United Methodist Committee on Relief, Presbyterian Disaster Response, as well as others currently have "boots on the ground" here in Linn County. As we enter September 2008 we will begin to see the faith communities response to our disaster swell in dollars, in-kind donations, and volunteers as we move into Spring 2009.
The largest and greatest need now and in the future will be housing volunteers who come into Linn County to help us finish the clean up and begin the rebuilding process. In a recent conversation with Pastor Michael Stadie who currently is the Lutheran Disaster Response Coordinator for Lutheran Services in Iowa, Chair of the Iowa Disaster Human Resources Committee's Long Term Recovery Committee has told us that a volunteer center (to house, feed, and provide shower facilities) will not be built in this area like they were in Katrina. The national funds are not available for this $1million plus venture. This means we need to get serious about housing these high value volunteers in our churches, schools, and homes. We need to become creative in how we can accommodate those willing to help us rebuild our communities. The old paradigms we use that block our participation in housing volunteers, for whatever reason, need to be broken. Then we need to develop new paradigms which allow us to open our buildings and homes in faith to those that are willing to enter our communities and restore us spiritually, mentally, physically.

Yours in Christ,

Pat Kane, Diaconal Minister

Interested in Volunteering - Flood Clean-up

2008-07-14T13:07:00.000-07:00

If you want to volunteer in the Linn County/Cedar Rapids, Iowa flood zones call: 319-540-4810.

If you need volunteers to help you or someone you know call: 319-540-4815.

Progress in Mission & Cedar Christian Church Clean-up

2008-06-23T21:19:00.000-07:00

Volunteers in support of CrossRoads Mission joined the congregation at Cedar Christian Church on Saturday and Sunday (June 21st & 22) in clean up efforts. The mission area was completely cleaned out including the drywall. Now the only thing remains is some tear out left in the kitchen area, and removal of the carpet in the lower level of the church. We are truly grateful, and very blessed, to have all the Christian volunteers come forward to help the congregation at Cedar Christian Church reach its goal of restoring their buildings following the flood.
On Wednesday after our van is repaired, we plan to move some things from our office at Cedar Christian Church that were above the flood line and are salvageable, to our temporary office, at Hope Lutheran Church. The work is light as most of our possessions were located in the lower level of the church.
The only thing that I saw salvaged from the mission and I now have in my possession, are the brass candlesticks and the altar cross from the altar. To the best of my knowledge, all else was lost.
As we are now in the process of helping flood victims, we ask for your generous donations to alleviate human suffering. You are in our prayers as our community begins to turn toward recovery which is now estimated to be a 10 year process.

Yours in Christ,

Pat Kane, Diaconal Minister
CrossRoads Mission

Thank You

2008-06-21T18:35:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all of those who helped clean out the mission's flooded center, today. Your help was greatly appreciated.

Thank YOU Hope Lutheran Church

2008-06-20T09:22:00.000-07:00

The Hope Lutheran Church, 2736 Bowling Street SW • Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404, has graciously offered a temporary home to the CrossRoads Mission. Direct services will be on a limited basis until we can get a permanant location. The mission contact information is:
D.E. Pat Kane - Diaconal Minister - 319.365.0707
"Diakonos Mission, Inc." <diakonospat@msn.com>

Serve the City - An Interfaith Diasaster Recovery Committee

2008-06-18T21:39:00.000-07:00

Cedar Rapids, Iowa
June 18, 2008

Good evening all,

Well I am back at the "coffee bar" to access the Internet. Photos of the total destruction of our current location can be found on our web site at www.crossroads-mission.com after midnight tonight (June 18, 2008), as well as a donation page which we pray you will stop by for at least a short visit. The donation page is new, and a classmate of mine from seminary sent the first donation from Pennsylvania. Her prayers and donation were received with great thanksgiving.
My membership on the Interfaith Disaster Recovery Committee on behalf of the Synod and Lutheran Disaster Response for the Cedar Rapids/Linn County area is ramping up quickly. When we begin as a community to leave the rescue stage and enter the long-term recovery stage (3+ years), this committee is preparing to coordinate the local, state-wide, and national faith communities to provide disaster response. The Linn County Evangelical Association (aka Serve The City), Churches United, and Linn County Inter-Religious Council are coming together locally to work with local, state and national leaders in donations, volunteers, and other kinds of assistance to help those affected by the flood. Among others, Lutheran Disaster Response, Pastor Mike Stadie, was on the ground in Benton, Linn, and Johnson Counties yesterday to survey the damage and talk with local leadership, and community leaders where appropriate.
Serve The City has performed in a stellar manner as they have effected rescue efforts on behalf of faith communities locally. If anyone wants to volunteer now, we recommend they call Serve The City at 319-378-0337 and sign up as individuals.
Once we enter the relief and recovery phase of this flood, the communication link will shift to Churches United very quickly on behalf of the local Interfaith Disaster Recovery Committee. Churches United is asking each faith community in the area to provide them with one or two E-mail contacts who will respond on behalf of each faith community as they begin an assessment of known assets available from the individual churches, mosque, temple, etc. You can contact Churches United at churchesunited@yahoo.com

Download an individual assessment tool that Churches United are asking all faith community members to complete, if possible, and return to Churches United. You will notice they are using assessment tools that have recently been used and are not trying to re-invent the wheel. People of faith will be coming to town, and will need places to stay when they are here to help us. In response to this, Churches United is expanding its staff, computer capacity, and telephone capacity to meet this new role during this disaster. They will need financial support to fulfill this task.
When all faith communities locally are tied into this new system by E-mail, you will receive rapid notice of needs for time, talent, treasure, hospitality, etc. You can E-mail Churches United as well to offer your donations. This will be a huge interfaith recovery effort on behalf of our respective faith communities for those most impacted by the flood. It will take a long time to accomplish, and we must pray for patience as we work through this to bring wholeness in community.
We appreciate your prayers and continued patience as we continue to work with Cedar Christian Church on upcoming clean up efforts and will keep you posted as information becomes available.

Yours in Christ,

Pat Kane, Diaconal Minister
CrossRoads Mission
"AN ECUMENICAL MINISTRY OF DISCIPLESHIP TO OUR NEIGHBORS!"

Pictures: Flood 2008 (Damage to Our Mission)

2008-06-17T22:28:00.000-07:00

2008 Flood - Mission Damaged

2008-06-16T21:23:00.000-07:00

Cedar Rapids, Iowa
June 16, 2008

Good evening everyone,

This is my first opportunity to get to my E-mail since power was turned off in downtown Cedar Rapids. I have wireless E-mail at home, and the antenna-modem is located downtown. Without power I do not have Internet access. The mission is unfortunately under water as well, so my office there is useless. I am currently sitting in a coffee bar with my laptop using their wireless Internet connection. All of our volunteers personal residences to the best of my knowledge, including my personal residence, was not affected by the flood. For that we are thankful to our Lord and Savior.
We are blessed that in loss of the mission to the community and the guests we serve, there was only one death and no major injuries. There is nothing lost that cannot be replaced with the help and support of the community.
We have not been allowed into the flood area to enter Cedar Christian Church to survey the damage, and take photographs. When we can, we will post them on the web site and notify everyone.
We are keeping all of the flood victims in our prayers, attending disaster relief meetings as we turn our thoughts to long term recovery which is estimated to be 3+ years, and beginning to think about rebuilding the mission. We will need financial donations, in-kind donations, volunteers, among our anticipated many needs. After we have been able to enter the mission and survey the damage, we will also begin to develop our needs list for recovery and will post it on the web site as well. What is certain, the folks we support in poverty are going to need us far worse now than before the flood.
As you make stewardship decisions about the gifts God has blessed you with, we pray that you will be generous with CrossRoads Mission in time, talent, and treasure to get us up and running again. As we hold you up in prayer, please keep us in your prayers.
The ministry at CrossRoads Mission has been asked by our Bishop and Lutheran Disaster Relief to take a lead in the long-term disaster relief efforts for Cedar Rapids/Linn County. I may be looking for some donated office space outside the flood zone yet near the mission, with an Internet connection, until we can have the mission back on line again. Thoughts and suggestions are welcomed.

Yours in Christ,

Pat Kane, Diaconal Minister
CrossRoads Mission
526 - 3rd Ave., SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Phone: 319-365-0707
Cell: 319-981-1273
Fax: 866-702-8991