At the Crossroads

ATC is transforming lives through unconditional support. We cultivate authentic, long-term relationships with young people experiencing homelessness who would otherwise be disconnected from support.

At The Crossroads is working toward a day when every homeless young person has a healthy relationship with someone who can help them identify and achieve their goals, and access to a network of services that understands and responds to their needs.

Goal One: Host a Series of Events that Educate, Inspire, and Build Community - Produce a number of events that are accessible, fun, and help people learn about the issues that affect our clients and community.

Goal Two: Establish a Professional Development and Employee Mobility Program - ATC will develop a program that fosters a continuous learning culture, investing deeply in our current staff and the future of ATC

Goal Three: ATC will conduct our first outcome study with Analysis Group. ATC will establish key metrics to “measure what matters” to understand the impact of our unconditional, and long-term support model.

ATC is committed to strengthening our organizational culture and developing our staff. We are determined to be a model for our sector in how we apply the social justice principles that guide our mission to our internal treatment of staff. This requires a serious investment in staff compensation and a commitment to each staff member's growth. All too often nonprofits struggle to retain amazing talent because there is very little room for growth in their roles. We created a new compensation philosophy, developing different levels in each of our departments so that staff members have the chance to learn, take on new responsibilities, and receive increased compensation. In doing so, we also promoted longtime staff, including the new titles of Program Director and Operations and Finance Director, to two employees who have been with the organization for over 6 years!

The shifting sands of personnel changes, donation fatigue, a tough economy, and the relentless impact of the pandemic have all affected our organization in various degrees. Through each obstacle, ATC has remained steadfast in our commitment to our clients, ensuring we're always there for those who need us most. Adapting to Personnel Changes The heart of ATC has always been its people. The departure and arrival of staff brought about significant internal changes, challenging us to find stability amidst the flux. Each transition was an opportunity to reinforce our foundations, welcoming new perspectives while honoring the legacy of those who moved on. Through mentorship and continuous training, we've maintained the quality of care and support our clients have come to expect, proving that personnel changes, while challenging, can lead to growth and rejuvenation. Navigating Donation Fatigue and Economic Hardship In recent times, the generosity of our community faced the test of donation fatigue, compounded by economic downturns. Resources became scarce as needs surged, a juxtaposition that demanded innovative solutions. We diversified our fundraising efforts, tapping into digital platforms and increasing our grant writing. By being transparent about our challenges and the direct impact of every dollar donated, we reinvigorated some of our support base, and found new supporters along the way. The Pandemic's Shadow Perhaps the most formidable challenge has been the pandemic's shadow over our work. Traditional outreach methods and face-to-face interactions were disrupted, threatening the lifeline of support for our clients. We adapted our outreach strategies to include health and safety supplies, ensuring that our presence on the streets—albeit in a new form—continued unabated. By reimagining our approach to service delivery, we guaranteed that not even a global pandemic could sever the bond between ATC and those we serve.