Crossover Downtown Outreach Ministry is a faith-based, interdenominational mission established to provide free emergency food, clothing, household,

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1 When life is a daily struggle, when choices must be made between food, water and heat and electricity, the gift of camp is rare, precious and cherished! Crossover Downtown Outreach Ministry is a faith-based, interdenominational mission established to provide free emergency food, clothing, household, personal items, and youth programs to those most in need in our community. Providing faith based services and programs, showing the love of Christ, restoring hope, and rebuilding lives. YOU put these smiles on the faces of kids whose families are financially unable to provide this experience! Two groups of underprivileged youth were blessed with the gift of summer camp at Camp Chickagami in Presque Isle, MI this year thanks to you! Our first group were middle school age and our second were elementary age. Everyone had a wonderful time swimming, making crafts, singing and worshiping, playing in a waterfall, and more! Thank you for giving this opportunity to children to see what is possible with faith, hope and love! Special letters from the children are enclosed! *Thank you for the GENEROUS donations by individuals, the Stella & Frederick Loeb Charitable Trust, the Child Welfare Society of Flint, the Burroughs Memorial Trust, and the Doris Sutton Memorial Fund for Youth at Crossover! You make an amazing difference in the lives of children in need!

2 Each year, because of friends like you, we are able to bless 100 families and 20 senior citizens with a full Thanksgiving meal so they may enjoy fellowship and love with their families without worrying where the money for the extra food will come from. How can you help provide HOPE this Thanksgiving? 1. Sponsor a family. (Your gift of $50 provides a complete Thanksgiving meal for a family in need please use the enclosed envelope to make your donation!) 2. Donate non-perishable food items! (What makes Thanksgiving dinner special to you? Sweet potatoes, gravy, corn, green bean casserole, stuffing? Additional items are always needed!) Thank you for helping Give HOPE! 60% of the children in the City of Flint live in poverty! That number may seem insurmountable but with LOVE, and YOUR help, we MAKE A DIFFERENCE in the lives of children, one child at a time! Thanks to you, this year, children in need began the school with smiles & confidence! Each child received 2 new outfits including 6 new pair of underwear and socks, a voucher for new pair of shoes, and a new backpack filled with school supplies. This year we also have clothing to continue to provide NEW school clothes to children as they outgrow and wear out their clothing! THANK YOU! *Thank you for the GENEROUS donations by individuals, the Jennings Memorial Foundation, the Rotary Club of Greater Flint Sunrise, the Martha Merkley Charitable Trust for Youth, and our anonymous donor! Thank you also to the Needlework Guild of America (NGA) for your generous in-kind donations! Page 2 It takes many hands and many hearts to provide for 100 families each Christmas. New toys, books, and pajamas for children in need, something small for mom and dad, and blankets and towels for the family help make the season blessed in households where even the basics are hard to come by! With YOUR help, we provide HOPE for these families. How can you help? There are many ways: SPONSOR A FAMILY (you and your loved ones can shop for a specific family) MAKE A MONETARY GIFT* ($150 purchases gifts for an entire family and we ll do the shopping for you!) DONATE TIME (we always need help wrapping gifts!) If you are interested in giving HOPE this Christmas, please call Crossover at (810) *Envelope Enclosed

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4 Thank you all for making our first ever Comedy for Crossover a huge success! Special thanks to our sponsors and auction item/ raffle donors as well as all of our wonderful attendees. Visit us at to see more pictures! PAGE 4

5 9,867 9,868 YOUR GIFTS TRULY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THOSE IN NEED! Here s how you help, each and every day! CROSSOVER DOWNTOWN OUTREACH MINISTRY 414 W. COURT ST. FLINT, MI PAGE 5

6 CROSSOVER DOWNTOWN OUTREACH MINISTRY is a faith-based, interdenominational mission established to provide free emergency food, clothing, household, personal items and youth programs to those most in need in our community. We provide these faith-based services and programs, showing the love of Christ, restoring hope, and rebuilding lives! Have you heard of a reverse Advent calendar? Have you seen this idea floating around Facebook or Pinterest? In case you haven t, I m going to share a bit about this wonderfully unique idea for celebrating the Christmas season with a reverse Advent calendar. The idea behind a reverse Advent calendar is simple. Pick out a sturdy basket, box or bag and fill it with donations for Crossover one item for every day in December. Then, when your bags are filled, take them to Crossover to help uplift those in need here in Flint and Genesee County! The reverse Advent calendar encourages us to think of others as we wait to celebrate Jesus birthday. What a great way to serve this Advent! Thank you! Together, we can uplift our neighbors in need helping them CROSSOVER to a better life! 1. GET A CARDBOARD BOX It is a simple concept. Over 25 days in the countdown to Christmas, add one item a day into your cardboard box...any box will do! Then donate it to Crossover for us to sort and distribute to vulnerable people in our community. 2. PUT IN SOMETHING UPLIFTING EACH DAY We serve men, women and children in urgent need of clothing, personal hygiene items, non-perishable food items, and more. Suggested donations include: Canned vegetables or fruit, Canned soup, Instant potatoes, Spaghetti sauce and pasta, Canned meats (tuna, chicken, beef stew, etc.), Peanut butter and jelly, Macaroni & cheese, etc. You can also give practical donations such as: Deodorant, Body wash, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Bars of soap, Razors, Shampoo & conditioner, Diapers, Baby wipes, Toilet paper, Laundry detergent New underwear, undershirts and socks are always needed! 3. DROP IT OFF AT CROSSOVER Your generous gifts will be distributed to those in need during January and February, months when we receive fewer donations but the need remains high! PAGE 6

7 Summer at Crossover was AGAIN full of loving, caring individuals and groups volunteering their time and talents to help those less fortunate. In addition to our wonderful regulars, youth and adults from St. Mary Student Parish at the University of Michigan, Mott Community College s Center for Teaching and Learning, Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, and more came to Crossover and helped sort school clothing, pack backpacks, wrap Christmas gifts and UPLIFT OTHERS! THANK YOU ALL!!! We offer our deepest sympathies to those who have suffered the loss of a loved one and we are truly grateful for the loving donations in their memory. Julia Betty Cushman: by Chris & Loretta Crawford Florence Duso: by Ken & Carol Smith Elaine Jackson: by Nancy Jackson Jenny Jadrich: by Steve & Barbara Smith, James & Mary Lou DuBois Virginia R. Landaal: by Barbara Smart Dr. Robert & Shirley Lutz s commitments to those in need: by Robert & Rosemary Lutz George Reseigh: by Judy Clippard Barbara Landaal Terry: by Barbara Smart Martin Vallee: by Charles & Kathryn Hollitt Thank you for helping those less fortunate while honoring loved ones or celebrating the milestones in these peoples lives: Tim & MELISSA Bishop, JIM & Nancy Moore, RICHARD & Arlene Ruhala, LIONEL & Sue Wernette: by Joseph & Ruth Thrash Crossover participated in the Convoy of Hope again this year. The event was held at Bassett Park on September 15th. People attending the event received free haircuts, portraits, health services, food, and more. Crossover collaborated with Catholic Charities to provide free clothing to those attending the event! Steve & Carol Flayer: by Joseph & Ruth Thrash Mrs. Melvah Harris Birthday: by Joseph & Ruth Thrash Fred & Odette Jones: by Joseph & Ruth Thrash Dawn Vallee Happy Birthday: by Charles & Kathryn Hollitt, Joseph & Ruth Thrash Through this program, 875 individuals received the blessing of clothing! Page 7

8 CROSSOVER DOWNTOWN OUTREACH MINISTRY 414 W. Court St. Flint, MI NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID FLINT, MI PERMIT NO 883 Page 8