the C.R.O.S.S. Center of Benton County, MN

"America is the richest country in the world. And yet tonight, thousands of your neighbors will go to bed hungry. It may

be your child's schoolmate who is undernourished and has difficulty learning on an empty stomach. Or it could be a

co-worker, a working mother whose low-wage job doesn't make ends meet. Perhaps it's an elderly neighbor who has to make a decision whether to delay filling a prescription or buying groceries. The faces of hunger are as broad as the

faces of America."

David Jasby, General Mills

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What We're About ...

An important message from former C.R.O.S.S. Center Board Chair, Pastor Al Jergenson -

This web site seeks to introduce you to the work and ministry of the C.R.O.S.S. Center in Benton County. It is our hope to acquaint you with the reasons for its existence, the resources it provides and the opportunities YOU are afforded to make a loving and significant difference in the lives of many of your neighbors who find themselves in a time of real crisis or need.

Through a dedication to ongoing education, commitment, partnership and resourcing, the C.R.O.S.S. Center seeks to develop a growing awareness of the basic needs around us for food and clothing; to generate a passion to address those needs with compassion, love and care; to foster a willingness to partner together to accomplish much more than would otherwise be possible; and to challenge one another to each do our part to provide the best resources possible, to serve those in need through volunteers who truly care, and to support clients with what it takes to meet their real emergency needs.

Whether you find yourself in the role of donor, volunteer or recipient - the ministry of the C.R.O.S.S. Center seeks to address real needs with compassion, integrity and a loving response. To that end, I hope you will join with us and play your part in making a real difference in the lives of those in need!

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How to donate to food shelves in one click!

And it's quick and easy to do!

KARE 11 & Land O'Lakes are donating $1 for every person who clicks on their web site.

Go to the website http://www.landolakesinc.com/company/corporateresponsibility/foundation/default.aspx

On the upper right side of the screen, there is the green area where it says:

"You Click, We donate."

It's that easy and you can click every day to help make a difference. Please let your friends know about this too. The food shelves are really hurting this year.

(posted 11-22-09)

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The CROSS Center Needs to Raise the Roof

The CROSS (Christians Reaching Out in Social Service) Center of Benton County includes

a food shelf, clothing center, information, referrals, and support. It is a non-profit

organization with 501(c)(3) status. The mission of the CROSS Center is to provide

encouragement and assistance to residents of Benton County who are experiencing short-

term difficulties in meeting their basic needs for food and clothing.

Assistance is provided regardless of race, color or creed for those who qualify. The CROSS Center serves ALL of Benton County. In the true spirit of volunteerism, the CROSS Center is an all volunteer organization; there are no paid employees.

For the food shelf alone, during the past year ending in April 2009, the CROSS Center served 1059 families or 3466 individuals. For June 2009, 49 new people were served by the CROSS Center’s food shelf program. The new people served were primarily children (ages 0-17) and adults (ages 18-64). These numbers do not include the school supply program, clothing distribution, holiday tree giving program, or the various referrals provided.

The building the CROSS Center had been renting was recently donated to our organization. With ownership, comes added responsibility to properly maintain our building and opportunity to make changes to better serve our clients and the community.

The CROSS Center first and foremost needs a new roof. There has been water damage to the interior of the building. At times, there has been damage to food intended to be given to clients of the food shelf. This portion of the project is the most important one for us to accomplish in the near future. The bids to replace the roof and move the air conditioner are up to $20,000.

The other part of the project is to update the interior of the building to make it a safe, clean facility to distribute food and clothing. Some of the specific benefits include better layout of the building so that human traffic does not bottle neck in certain areas, office space that is private for the client and safe for the worker, new/better system for filling grocery orders, better layout of clothing/house wares utilizing the space more efficiently, and a cleaner work environment for the volunteers and clients.

Some of the items include updating the electrical, ensuring handicap accessibility to the bathroom and other spaces in the store, removing the carpet, updating the shelves for food storage, clothing area and updating some of the freezers for easier accessibility. The price for this part of the project is $45-50,000.

The total project will come in between $60-75,000. The CROSS Center has solicited bids from local businesses to the best of their ability to help the local economy.

The CROSS Center has submitted grant applications to assist with these projects. Matching funds from the community are expected by the grantors. This is where the CROSS Center needs your help. The CROSS Center asks that you consider making a monetary donation for the CROSS Center Building Project. Thank you for your consideration.

Please mail donations to:

Frandsen Bank & Trust

c/o CROSS Center Building Project Fund

PO Box 367

341 Fourth Ave. N.

Foley, MN 56329.

The CROSS Center of Benton County is located at 150 Fourth Ave. N., Foley, MN 56329. The CROSS Center is open Mondays from 1-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. and Thursdays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Phone number: 320-968-7012. Website: www.thecrosscenter.com

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Something to remember ...

Check out the latest CROSS Center Newsletter

for the latest information on our services and current needs. (posted 11-12-09)

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The September CROSS Board meeting was a time of

celebration, recognition, and appreciation with Althea

Bergstrom's retirement from CROSS. Althea has been involved

with CROSS longer than anyone can remember. She has always

served on the CROSS Board and most of that time as the Board

Secretary. She has also worked at the center for many years with

dedication, determination and endless energy, serving those in need.

Because of people with the strength like Althea's, the CROSS Center

has become a service in the community that is indispensable.

Thank you, Althea. God bless you in your retirement.

Photo at left (L to R):

Betty Stob, Althea Bergstrom, Marge Szafranski and Carole Mersinger

<<<Other photos above from the September Board meeting and

Althea's retirement. Click on photos to view larger size.

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Benton County Employees Donate To CROSS

Center and Foley Area CARE

Benton County employees continued what has become a tradition of

raising funds for local charities at their holiday party. The county

employee party and awards ceremony took place on January 22 at

Henry’s Banquet Center in Foley. Once again money was raised

from a silent auction and the proceeds were donated to the CROSS

Center and Foley Area CARE.

Pictured from L to R are: Connie Ramberg, CARE Program

Administrative Assistant; Janis Brown, CARE; Carole Mersinger,

CROSS; and Tammy Bigelow, Benton County.

(Benton County News Photo)

(posted 1-29-10)

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If you are looking for an opportunity to help those in need and have a little extra time to help us with our mission, please contact C.R.O.S.S. to find out how you can be a volunteer. Use the contact info on the left hand side of this page to find out more.

Thank you! (posted 1-15-09)

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FACT SHEET – 2007 Information about C.R.O.S.S and

7/2006 – 6/2007 CROSS CENTER FOOD SHELF STATISTICS

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The CROSS Center NEEDS YOUR HELP!

Our food supply is very low and Benton County / Foley families are still hungry. Many families depend on CROSS to help them feed their children.

We still like to recieve donations of money because we can purchase food at a very low cost. However, we are running out of some basic food needs before the next truck delivery comes. CROSS would like to share a list of the most needed foods:

Tuna

Beef Stew

Peas

Green Beans

Whole Corn

Canned Pears

Canned Peaches

Pasta Roni

Toilet Paper

Jello

Dry pudding mix

Elbow macaroni

Spaghetti

Cream of Chicken Soup

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Tooth Brushes

Are you wondering what we do with all that food? Stop in and see what we do. If you would like us to speak at your organization, give us a call. Without the help from the community we can not help those in need.

Thank you for all you do.

(posted 9-27-08)

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CHECK OUR SERVICES PAGE FOR INFORMATION ON VARIOUS PROGRAMS THE C.R.O.S.S. CENTER HAS RUNNING AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE YEAR.

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2010 Stretch your donation dollar This graphic will show how you can make your donation to the C.R.O.S.S. Center stretch even farther. This is a .pdf file, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to view it. A free copy of the Reader can be obtained by clicking here.

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EMAIL US at crosscenter@hotmail.com

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