News

Holdrege residents have approached Crossroads Mission Avenue with a desire to bring supportive housing to Phelps County. With the support of the Phelps County Ministerial Association, Pastor Kenton Birtell of Mount Calvary Lutheran Church approached Daniel Buller, Executive Director of Crossroads Mission Avenue, seeking guidance on how to better meet the needs of struggling community members. As discussions began and focus groups ensued, Mindi Young, a Provisionally Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (PLADC), became involved. Ms. Young also saw the need in the community, stating, “The vision that has been placed in our minds and on our hearts is to better serve, support and assist the members of our Holdrege community who may be struggling – to provide a helping hand and accountability to our neighbors who otherwise do not have access to services or adequate supportive housing.”

Ensuing discussions have led Crossroads to consider the Plains Motel at 619 W US Highway 6 as the possible site for a Transitional Living Facility. Transitional housing can be a vital resource for individuals and families in crisis, providing a safe and stable environment to help them transition toward permanent housing and self-sufficiency. Daniel Buller explains, “This facility is not intended to be a homeless shelter, but a supportive housing solution designed to help local men, women, and families who are struggling through poverty, addiction, or are in need of supportive housing and programming. Participants will be required to complete an evaluation of their needs to determine if the facility is a fit for them. The program is intended to be long-term, and participants will have an opportunity to complete our 4-Phase Personal Resilience Program, which addresses the underlying issues of homelessness, addiction, and poverty through the lens of God’s Word. Crossroads works as a partnering agency, referring people to many area agencies that are specialists in meeting a variety of specific needs, such as elderly care, addiction recovery, mental health care, counseling, therapy, health care, etc. Crossroads’ interest in this project is a response to community members who have approached us, sharing that there is a need and asking us to consider partnering to meet that need.”

Crossroads Mission Avenue has been serving Central Nebraska for over 40 years. With campuses in Hastings, Kearney, and Grand Island, their goals include providing food, shelter, clothing, and physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and vocational support to the homeless, as well as providing indigent services for those who are needy. Crossroads’ services include safe shelter, hot meals, life skills classes, and one-on-one case management that helps their guests gain employment, financial independence, and stable housing, which equips individuals for successful living after their time at the Mission and leads to homelessness prevention. As the largest provider of homeless services in Central Nebraska, Crossroads served more than 1,300 individuals with over 76,000 nights of stay throughout 2024. Crossroads’ Transitional housing program helps meet the need for affordable housing as individuals enter the job market and manage the demands of living within their community while still receiving guidance and accountability through Crossroads’ services. This provides support as their guests move on to more independence and self-sufficiency.

The public is invited to attend a Town Hall Meeting regarding this potential project and the needs of the Holdrege community. There will be two sessions available on Friday, April 11^th, at 3:30 and 5:30 pm at the South Central Area Recovery, Inc. (SCAR) offices located at 307 East Ave. in Holdrege. After a presentation of the project, questions from the public will be addressed.