CrossRoads is marking two decades of service in Owensboro with a Roaring 20’s-themed gala designed to both celebrate the milestone and raise funds to support its programs.
The nonprofit, which operates a food pantry and emergency overnight shelter for women and children, will host its 20th Anniversary Bootlegger’s Ball on March 7 at Green River Distilling Co.
Haley Huskisson, board chair at CrossRoads, said the organization’s roots stretch back well before it formally became a nonprofit.
“We actually started in March of 2006,” Huskisson said. “Some individuals got together at New Life Church and wanted to start feeding people. That’s how it began — as a food pantry and soup kitchen.”
Huskisson said the early operation regularly served large crowds through its soup kitchen, feeding roughly 100 people or more during each meal service.
CrossRoads officially became a nonprofit in 2010 and later relocated in 2014 to its current facility at 1631 Breckenridge St., formerly known as the Blackford’s Automotive building.
As the organization grew, so did its services.
“In September of 2016, we opened our emergency overnight shelter for women and children,” Huskisson said. “At the time, it took nearly two years to work through planning, zoning and all the requirements before we could open.”
In its earliest form, Huskisson said women and children slept on air mattresses and mats placed on the floor. Today, the shelter is equipped with bunk beds obtained through grants, along with expanded food storage capabilities including walk-in freezer and cooler units.
“It blows my mind how far we’ve come,” Huskisson said. “We had girls who were there from the very beginning who now say, ‘I can’t believe we’re not sleeping on the floor anymore.’”
CrossRoads operates as what Huskisson described as a low-barrier shelter, meaning women and children can seek assistance without navigating lengthy intake procedures.
“A woman can walk up to our door at night and say, ‘I need someplace to sleep,’” Huskisson said. “If we have a bed available, she can stay.”
Huskisson said CrossRoads was the first emergency walk-in shelter for women and children in Daviess County. While other organizations now offer shelter services, she emphasized that CrossRoads fills a unique role.
She pointed to My Sister’s Keeper as an example of a complementary program.
“She’s doing wonderful things,” Huskisson said. “We serve similar populations, but in a different way.”
Beyond shelter services, CrossRoads administers multiple food assistance programs. The organization participates in The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and operates Nana’s Cupboard, part of the Commodity Supplemental Food Program for low-income seniors.
Huskisson said the nonprofit serves more than 300 seniors each month through its senior food box program, along with grandparents raising grandchildren who receive additional support.
All services are coordinated from the Breckenridge Street facility, a space Huskisson acknowledged is modest for the scale of operations.
“Everything comes out of that building,” Huskisson said. “It’s crowded, but our volunteers make it work.”
The organization relies heavily on volunteer support. Huskisson said CrossRoads employs just two paid staff members on the shelter side, with the remainder of operations powered by volunteers.
“We probably have anywhere from 10 to 15 volunteers on the food pantry side and about five on the shelter side,” she said. “We also have help from veterans, RSVP volunteers and other community organizations.”
The upcoming Bootlegger’s Ball represents CrossRoads’ first large-scale fundraiser in its 20-year history.
“As a board, we said we wanted to do something big for 20 years, so we’re going big,” Huskisson said.
The event will run from 6 to 9 p.m. at Green River Distilling Co. and will feature a silent auction, 50/50 raffle and personal stories highlighting the organization’s impact. Barb Birgy of WBKR and WDHR will serve as emcee.
Proceeds will support CrossRoads’ food pantry and shelter programs.
Huskisson said the nonprofit works closely with other local agencies, including the Daniel Pitino Shelter and St. Benedict’s Day Shelter, to help individuals transition into more stable housing and long-term support systems.
“We may be an emergency overnight shelter, but we’re not just giving someone a bed and sending them on their way,” Huskisson said. “We work with other agencies to help them find housing, jobs, treatment — whatever they need.”
Tickets and sponsorship opportunities for the Bootlegger’s Ball are available through CrossRoads’ Facebook page. Organizers said businesses and individuals interested in supporting the event can use the Givebutter link provided online.
The Chamber Member of the Week program is a Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce membership benefit. Founded in 1913, the Chamber has worked to provide valuable benefits and services to member businesses and individuals for over a century.
Today, with nearly 1,000 members, the Chamber is a guiding force in community and business development initiatives and serves as the center of business advocacy for the Greater Owensboro region.
To learn more about becoming the Chamber Member of the Week or inquire about Chamber membership, contact Kitty Jones, director of membership, at 270-926-1860 or kjones@owensboro.com.
By John Kirkpatrick The Owensboro Times