Crossroads Mission Avenue's Kearney location, (Crossroads Mission Avenue, Courtesy)
KEARNEY —Crossroads Mission Avenue would like to announce the start of a Kearney Kitchen Renovation project at the Kearney Mission.
Over 1,100 men, women, and families receive food services each year on the Kearney Crossroads campus located at 1404 E 39th Street. Renovation of the residential-style kitchen will update the facility with a commercial kitchen to meet the demand for food services in the Kearney area, which includes an expansion of the dining area.
Typically, hot, nutritious meals are served to an average of 67 guests daily, and anyone needing a meal is encouraged to come during the set meal times. During the kitchen renovation, Crossroads is asking individuals and groups in the community to sign up to provide meals or shelf-stable items for ready-to-eat meals.
The non-barrier food pantry will continue to offer a food box with no requirements to be met, for individuals in the Kearney community suffering from food insecurities, in order to help provide for their needs during the month. This program will remain unaltered during the construction period.
The current residential-style kitchen is now approximately 20 years old and has been used continuously since opening the Mission in 2012. Since then, the Kearney Crossroads Mission Avenue facility has served more than 657,000 meals, making an upgrade to a commercial kitchen a necessity. The new design will accommodate rigorous use while allowing for durability, safety, and sanitation requirements. A contract has been signed with Chief Construction, with project completion anticipated by mid-November, in time for holiday meal service for the community.
The total cost for the project is estimated at $447,608, which includes commercial appliances and fixtures supplied by Cash-Wa Distributing. The addition of commercial appliances and an intelligent upgraded design will maximize use of the kitchen. Various community partners have generously supported the project, bringing in 78% of the funding needed, including the Kearney Area Community Foundation Klinkacek Community Enrichment Grant, Kearney Give Where You Live 2023, Kearney Area Community Foundation Ted Baldwin DAF Grant, Food Bank for the Heartland, and several anonymous funders. Crossroads continues to accept donations to finish up the project and will use the 2024 Kearney Give Where You Live Day to help close the gap in the cost of the project.
Daniel Buller, Executive Director for Crossroads Mission Avenue, is excited to be able to meet the demand for services needed in the Kearney community. “The community of Kearney has again stepped up in a generous way to partner with Crossroads Mission Avenue to provide assistance to men, women, and families in need.
The last few years have been trying times for many and being able to provide for their basic needs often means the difference between paying rent or putting food on the table – a decision that can so easily be remedied through food pantries like ours. We are excited to upgrade and improve our facilities so that we can continue strong in our mission to bring glory to God through the helping of people. Our message to the community is this: from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for helping to make this community asset a reality!”
Kearney Crossroads provided 73,563 hot, nutritious meals to hungry individuals in Buffalo County last year, and nearly 700 families received a food box from the Mission in 2023. Proper kitchen facilities enable Crossroads to store and prepare food supplies in a way that provides maximum vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients essential for good health. Consuming nutrient-dense foods is especially crucial for children, the elderly, and those with fragile health, such as the chronically homeless. Lack of proper nutrition leads to learning disabilities, lack of focus, illness, behavior problems, high stress levels, and a higher incidence of chronic disease, all of which could initiate lifelong health issues. Crossroads continually strives to educate the community about the availability of food boxes and meal times through community contacts and social media.
Crossroads Mission Avenue has been serving the homeless in Central Nebraska for over 40 years, with locations in Kearney, Grand Island, and Hastings, with a campaign to bring homeless services to Lexington currently underway. Their Kearney campus includes an emergency shelter as well as transitional housing serving women in coordination with the State of Nebraska Probation, Drug Court, and Parole. They provide comprehensive care in a nurturing environment, including services such as safe shelter, hot meals, life skills classes, and one-on-one case management which helps their guests gain employment, financial independence, and stable housing.
This equips Crossroads guests for successful living after their time at the Mission and leads to homelessness prevention. Since opening in Kearney on February 1, 2012, Crossroads has served almost 3,000 homeless men, women, and children in Buffalo County by providing more than 217,000 nights of stay for the needy. Crossroads Mission Avenue Thrift Store is also located on the Kearney campus, providing employment and volunteer opportunities in the community, in addition to supplying an option for low-cost clothing and household goods in Buffalo County.
Crossroads Mission Avenue’s mission is to bring glory to God through the helping of people. Homelessness recovery is a long, complicated process for many of their guests, and step by step, Crossroads is there to help them in that process.
About Crossroads Mission Avenue
Crossroads has been serving the homeless in Central Nebraska for over 40 years. They have grown to include campuses in Hastings, Grand Island, and Kearney, which served over 1,500 individuals last year! Each location provides services that include emergency shelter, 4-Phase Recovery program, and personalized case management that helps their guests gain employment, financial independence, and stable housing. Crossroads Mission Avenue’s mission is to bring glory to God through the helping of people.