Crossroads Urban Center
Organization Information
347 South 400 East
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Phone:
(801) 364-7765 – pantry/community development/administation
E-mail: glenn@crossroads-u-c.org
Website: http://www.crossroads-u-c.org
E-mail: glenn@crossroads-u-c.org
Website: http://www.crossroads-u-c.org
Mission Statement
Crossroads Urban Center is a non-profit, grassroots organization which assists and organizes low income, disabled, and minority Utahns to meet basic survival needs and to address essential issues affecting quality of life.
Organization Profile
Utah&039;s busiest emergency food pantry, a thrift store, community organizing assistance to low income people and other agencies, a monthly food purchasing cooperative, and holiday food programs are among Crossroads&039; activities. Crossroads has also initiated and developed new community organizations to provide services not otherwise available in our community.
For over 43 years, Crossroads Urban Center has been striving to meet the needs of the poor and hungry in Salt Lake City. Crossroads provides food service to over 85,000 people each year. A three day supply of food is provided to clients of the Luisa E. Lema Emergency Food Pantry located at 347 S. 400 East in Salt Lake City. The pantry specializes in infant needs, supplying formula, baby food, and diapers. Special food distributions are also organized by Crossroads at Thanksgiving and Christmas, insuring that hundreds of families that would otherwise have trouble making ends meet can have a special holiday meal.
Our Thrift Store is housed in the Virginia B. Parmalee Community Center, located at 1385 West Indiana Avenue (850 South) in Salt Lake City&039;s Poplar Grove neighborhood. Families containing over 17,000 people received free items annually. The store also sells items at low cost. Approximately 90% of everything going out of the Store is being given away free. Our Emergency Fund provides bus tokens, gas, prescriptions, car parts, and limited assistance with rent and utilities for families facing eviction or shutoffs. We also make appropriate referrals and partner with other agencies to maximize the impact of these efforts.
The Community Food Co-op of Utah allows working poor families, seniors, and others access to low cost food each month by working together with their neighbors. Because the Co-op is open to everyone, low income participants are not forced to seek charity. The greater the overall participation is in the Co-op, the lower the cost of food is for those who need it most. Co-op members are asked to donate two volunteer hours each month anywhere in the community as a condition of membership. The Co-op itself is dependent on volunteers. The Food Co-op has over 13,000 members with sales of over 4,000 food packages each month. Member households pick up their food at 65 volunteer-run distribution sites in seven counties. Co-op members save up to 50% on food compared to grocery store prices, and every effort is made to offer healthy and nutritious selections.
For over 43 years, Crossroads Urban Center has been striving to meet the needs of the poor and hungry in Salt Lake City. Crossroads provides food service to over 85,000 people each year. A three day supply of food is provided to clients of the Luisa E. Lema Emergency Food Pantry located at 347 S. 400 East in Salt Lake City. The pantry specializes in infant needs, supplying formula, baby food, and diapers. Special food distributions are also organized by Crossroads at Thanksgiving and Christmas, insuring that hundreds of families that would otherwise have trouble making ends meet can have a special holiday meal.
Our Thrift Store is housed in the Virginia B. Parmalee Community Center, located at 1385 West Indiana Avenue (850 South) in Salt Lake City&039;s Poplar Grove neighborhood. Families containing over 17,000 people received free items annually. The store also sells items at low cost. Approximately 90% of everything going out of the Store is being given away free. Our Emergency Fund provides bus tokens, gas, prescriptions, car parts, and limited assistance with rent and utilities for families facing eviction or shutoffs. We also make appropriate referrals and partner with other agencies to maximize the impact of these efforts.
The Community Food Co-op of Utah allows working poor families, seniors, and others access to low cost food each month by working together with their neighbors. Because the Co-op is open to everyone, low income participants are not forced to seek charity. The greater the overall participation is in the Co-op, the lower the cost of food is for those who need it most. Co-op members are asked to donate two volunteer hours each month anywhere in the community as a condition of membership. The Co-op itself is dependent on volunteers. The Food Co-op has over 13,000 members with sales of over 4,000 food packages each month. Member households pick up their food at 65 volunteer-run distribution sites in seven counties. Co-op members save up to 50% on food compared to grocery store prices, and every effort is made to offer healthy and nutritious selections.
Additional Information
The need for our emergency food pantry was up 24% in 2008 from the previous year. So far in 2009, the use of our pantry is up 26% compared to 2008 and shows no sign of slowing. Both the pantry and our thrift store served more households in 2008 than ever before.
The USDA ranks Utah fourth out of all the states in terms of the number of residents experiencing hunger. This means one in twenty Utah residents will experience hunger at some point this year. With the overall deterioration in the economy, this situation has grown even more desperate in 2009. Wages and employment opportunities for the working poor have not kept pace with the rising cost of housing, utilities, and food. Many of our clients are disabled and unable to work or earn enough to get by each month.
The USDA ranks Utah fourth out of all the states in terms of the number of residents experiencing hunger. This means one in twenty Utah residents will experience hunger at some point this year. With the overall deterioration in the economy, this situation has grown even more desperate in 2009. Wages and employment opportunities for the working poor have not kept pace with the rising cost of housing, utilities, and food. Many of our clients are disabled and unable to work or earn enough to get by each month.