“We appreciate our community for rallying around us. It takes a village, and they are our village.”
It takes a village of people to support our kids and families at The Crossing and empower them towards a future unmarked by homelessness. The Mission’s Youth Center has long served as a safe haven for children and teens as their families transition out of homelessness and into stability.
Made up of three age-specific rooms, kids participate in after-school activities, homework help, financial literacy classes, Bible studies, and more. These programs allow kids to simply be kids, while nurturing their confidence, character and lasting resilience.
The Youth Center has helped me with…
“The opportunity to learn more which has made me feel more confident at school and smarter.”
Jasilyn
“Making me feel better because my parents trust Miss Asha and Miss MC, so they know it’s a good place for me to be.
I learned that I can trust other adults that aren’t my parents. It makes my family feel different because we are stronger and building a better version of our family.”
Kalley
“Making me see the importance of kindness and how to find goodness in people. I also learned how to use kindness to help when I am in arguments.”
Sophia
“My feelings because it’s a safe space for when I feel sad or scared or overwhelmed.”
Jiera
“Feeling better, stronger and happier.”
Joshua
The Youth Center makes me feel…
Happy, Free, Kind, Amazed
Why we show up for our kids
Staff
Miss MC
“The work we do is deeply relational. You have to build rapport with both the parent and the child in order to get either of them in the door. But once they are in the door, we have an opportunity to roll up our sleeves and do really great work with them during a time of instability and impressionability. Every day when they run in and they jump in my arms and they have a smile on their face, it immediately puts a smile on my face too.
Giving our kids and families access to opportunities like financial education, mentorships and spiritual guidance is laying a foundation for a brighter, more resilient future.”
Mister Jesus
“I grew up navigating systems similar to these, going through the juvenile justice system and experiencing a stint of homelessness. Fortunately, I had some people who really influenced me and so now I’m on the other side of that coin, and hopefully doing the same for some of our youth, and specifically our teens. I think there’s no better investment into community than into our youth and that’s the beauty of the programming that we do.”
Miss Asha
“I get to meet kids where they’re at. I get to talk to them about the Lord and let the Lord heal them. I feel like I’m home and where I’m meant to be. We’re trying to show them that you see limitations, but we see that you can be limitless if you put in the work and you do it. So, we’re going to give you the opportunities, and we’re going to pour all the love and resources that we have into you so that you can do it for yourself.”
How We Teach Our Teens
- Life-skills workshops where, upon completion, they get a Chromebook*
- Career panels with professionals in the community and mock interviews
- Weekly Bible studies
- Financial management through Character Coins
Volunteers
“It takes a village, and they are our village. They are mentors, they are teachers, they wear as many hats as we do.”
Mister Jesus
John
“When the kids start coming in, and they give you a hug because they’re glad that you’re here, that really makes it all worthwhile. There’s one young gentleman who doesn’t like math, but after working with him for several weeks you could just feel that sense of accomplishment that he can figure this out. When you make that kind of breakthrough with a young one, it’s always gratifying.”
Read more about John’s experience at the Mission HERE.
Emily
“I try to tell them, ‘Go through it, learn from it and know that you’re going to be on the other side of it so much better for it.’ And then I try to remind them that they are kids because I think they take on a lot of parent roles with their siblings. It’s our responsibility to say, ‘Go be a kid because it goes by really fast. Don’t take that burden on.’”
Read more about Emily’s impact at the Mission HERE.
Interns
Kayla & Katie
“I’m really hoping that we can make them feel so loved and valued and just empower them to believe that they can do this and they can be a person who can overcome really, really hard challenges. They know that they can rely on us being here, and the kids love Miss Asha and Mister Jesus because they consistently show that they care about them.” -Kayla
“Every day we’re here adds consistency for them, consistency that maybe they don’t get at home. Every day they walk in, they know there are people who will listen to them. I’ve watched kids run in all giddy, super excited to tell me about their day. And then over time, we talk about, ‘You can go home and talk to God because He is your best friend at the end of the day.’” -Katie
Learn more about opportunities to change lives through interning HERE.
You Complete Our Village
Our kids aren’t here by choice, so while we can’t prevent them from ever experiencing homelessness, you can join us to help prevent them from ever falling back into the cycle.
All of our Youth Center programs support at least one of the “2Gen” pillars, which reference Ascend through Aspen Institute and the Colorado Department of Human Services.
Back to School
To kick off the school year, our youth received new backpacks and school supplies!
“We are going to invest in them, we are going to care for them and we’re going to change the conditions so that they grow and thrive and become contributing members of society. That’s what we’re doing here.”
Mister Jesus
Our Kids Need You!
Want to help the children in the Youth Center thrive? Donate today to rewrite homelessness out of their futures.
Download Full Newsletter
- It Takes a Village
- The Mission in My Words: Rachel Langholz
- Letter From Our CEO
