Crossroads Mission Avenue partners with Green Cover Seed to provide jobs for homeless

BLADEN — Crossroads Mission Avenue is pleased to announce a new Corporate Partnership with Green Cover Seed, located in Bladen.

A plaque presentation in recognition of the partnership has taken place at Green Cover Seed’s Bladen location on May 15, 2024. The nonprofit and the local business have collaborated to produce a Premium blend of Birdseed, which is now being sold in Mission Avenue Thrift Stores located in Kearney, Hastings, and Grand Island. Sales of the birdseed support the homeless ministry of Crossroads Mission Avenue while providing job training and jobs for Crossroads Mission Avenue guests.

This partnership showcases the compassion of Green Cover Seed as they seek to live out their values to Do the right thing and Treat people right. Partnering with Crossroads to create jobs for the homeless exemplifies Green Cover Seeds’ desire to honor God in their business ethics and practices by giving back to the ministry of Crossroads. Investing in the lives of others is something Green Cover Seed has been doing since its inception in 2009, believing that healthy soils lead to healthy food and thus, healthier people. Specializing in highly diverse, custom, cover crop mixes, Green Cover has become a leading, national source for those seeking to improve soil health and biodiversity through cover cropping. Their experience and expertise have assisted Crossroads Mission Avenue in creating a premium blend of birdseed which will entice native Nebraska wildlife.

Keith Berns, Co-Owner of Green Cover Seed shares, “Green Cover is honored to partner with Crossroads Mission Avenue to provide high-quality birdseed for re-sale at the Crossroads retail stores. Our mission at Green Cover is to help people regenerate God’s creation for future generations and we believe that God is using Crossroads to regenerate and rebuild the lives of the people that enter into the doors of their centers. It is a small thing that we can do to support a much larger cause and mission and we are grateful for the opportunity.”

A core value of Crossroads Mission Avenue is to care for those in need in Central Nebraska. The production of the birdseed product has become a foundational component of Crossroads’ workforce development program, as the ministry works toward its goal of helping its guests recover and live independently. Crossroads desires to teach new skills to open future job opportunities for their guests.

Many life circumstances make finding a job difficult, such as advanced age, language barriers, lack of education, disabilities, prior incarceration, mental health barriers, or extended periods out of the workforce. Over the years, Crossroads Mission Avenue has prepared countless individuals for the job market through job training experience gained while staying at the Mission. Other facets of the workforce development program include job training in the Mission Avenue Thrift Stores and their recycle program, in addition to various handyman and culinary opportunities on the Crossroads Mission Avenue campuses.

For over 40 years, Crossroads Mission Avenue has been serving the homeless in Central Nebraska. Crossroads currently offers emergency shelter as well as transitional living services on its three campuses located in Hastings, Kearney, and Grand Island with a Mission expected in Lexington in 2025. Men, women, and families needing food assistance can find individual meals or food boxes at the Missions as well. Low-cost clothing and household goods are provided for Central Nebraska communities through its Mission Avenue Thrift Stores.

This partnership will help meet the needs of Nebraska families, as economic demands continue to rise. Daniel Buller, Executive Director of Crossroads Mission Avenue reflects on this new partnership, “We are thankful for the generosity of Green Cover Seeds. The sale of birdseed creates an impact far beyond generating additional income to support Crossroads Mission Avenues’ Central Nebraska outreach.

This opportunity provides job training, jobs, and opportunities for people who have come to Crossroads asking for help. This sponsorship offers help and hope. Green Cover Seeds’ corporate sponsorship through seed donations is helping us to fulfill our mission of bringing glory to God through the helping of people.”

On each campus, Crossroads Mission Avenue provides comprehensive care in a nurturing environment, including services such as safe shelter, hot meals, life skills classes, and personalized case management to help their guests gain employment, financial independence, and stable housing.

The transitional housing component allows guests to take the next step in their recovery with supportive services close by, before moving on to complete independence and self-sufficiency. These steps equip Crossroads guests for successful living after their time at the shelter and lead to homelessness prevention. In 2023, Crossroads Mission Avenue served over 1,500 men, women, and children in Central Nebraska by providing almost 68,000 nights of stay for the needy.

Crossroads Mission Avenue’s mission is to bring glory to God through the helping of people. Homelessness recovery is a long, complicated process for many of their guests, and step by step, Crossroads is there to help them in that process.