Crosswalk Youth shelter

Student Contributor -Alisha Trevaskis
The purpose of Crosswalk is to end child homelessness and connect the kids to supporting and stable services. They have an array of case managers, health care workers, volunteers, teachers, and chemical dependency counselors to help work with the kids. Crosswalk also provides clothes, showers, and personal hygiene products, three meals a day, transportation, recreational activities, and many more.

Crosswalk is an organization that works with Volunteers Of America to help homeless youth. They have a great set of professionals on their team and are ready to help kids with any of their basic needs as well as counseling services, doctors, and case managers. You can volunteer with this program as well as donate items such as clothes, books, formula, and car seats. But you can also donate items that will brighten a kid’s day such as coloring books, or games, or fidget toys, bus passes, and craft supplies. Crosswalk provides kids with three meals a day and works with the youth to encourage personal responsibility, and work on either reconciliation with families or helping youth find their next step in life with the support they deserve.

An idea that students and teachers could do is provide something to brighten a child's day. Students in the classroom could make friendship bracelets for kids at CrossWalk. Students could also raise money or do a toy drive to give to the kids less fortunate than themselves. I think allowing students to raise money, give them handmade items, and help other kids the same age who are homeless and alone would be a very eye-opening experience.