New Name Doesn’t Change Crossroad’s Mission

Crossroad is located in Ft. Wayne, Ind.

Back in 1883 when 9-year-old Hermann Leisering was the first child through the doors of the Reformed Orphans Home of Ft. Wayne, Ind., the world and the organization itself were vastly different.

Now officially known as Crossroad Child & Family Services Inc., the organization still strives to help children in need, only through different means and in the midst of different social realities, says Kyle Zanker, Crossroad’s chief development officer.

“We are a nearly 127-year-old agency, and services have changed over the years; and with that, names have changed,” she says. Still, she notes, the aim has always been to serve children.

When founded, the Reformed Church-affiliated organization served as home for hundreds of children left in dire circumstances or those whose parents had died.

In 1942, its name became Ft. Wayne Children’s Home to reflect the move away from the orphanage model. After World War II, old-style orphanages began to disappear with the emergence of state foster care programs. The organization later expanded its services to include Woodhaven, a home for unwed mothers and their children. The home also added emotionally troubled children to those it served.

In 1963, the name changed to the Ft. Wayne Children’s Home of the United Church of Christ to reflect the 1957 merger of the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches that created the United Church of Christ.

In 1975, the agency kept its existing name but began doing business as Crossroad.

“We could have called ourselves a treatment center at that point,” Zanker says. “The recent change reflects more accurately the programs and services we have offered for many years.”

A number of factors precipitated the legal name change earlier this year, she says.

Crossroad sought to emphasize the depth and breadth of services the agency offers to emotionally troubled children and youths: residential and secure care, outpatient services, home-based care, and an alternative to psychiatric residential treatment facilities. Today, Crossroad serves more children in non-residential services than in residential services, working more and more in communities and homes.

A secondary goal was to broaden the pool of funds available to support the work Crossroad does. Crossroad has adopted the new name as part of its tax-exempt organization filing, allowing the agency to receive funds from companies and other grantors who are forbidden in their bylaws from contributing to churches.

The ultimate goal, though, is serving children better.

“The name change helps place us in the minds of people who could use our services as so much more than a residential facility,” Zanker says. “We want them to think, ‘I have a troubled child who needs help and Crossroad has several alternatives that may meet our needs.’”

Reflections on a Summer At Crossroad Children’s Home

The vision statement of Crossroad Childrens Home in Fort Wayne, Indiana is, Creating promising futures for children, whatever it takes. This has been shortened to whatever it takes and is used as the primary motto for Crossroad.
This summer I served as an administrative intern at Crossroad for six weeks. This internship was part of the Make A Difference Scholarship in Health and Human Service Administration provided through the United Church of Christ and CHHSM. During this time I learned that whatever it takes in order to serve children who are abused and neglected is more than I ever could have imagined.
Whatever it takes means making sure that buildings are in good repair and existing facilities meet the needs of the children. Whatever it takes means having an emergency back-up plan when the city shuts the water off in order to repair a broken water main. Whatever it takes means taking the time to celebrate childhood with Olympics and carnivals.
Whatever it takes makes sure policies and procedures are in line with the accrediting bodies. Whatever it takes updates computer systems in order to serve the children as efficiently as possible. Whatever it takes makes sure employees get adequate training and time off. Whatever it takes acknowledges that pain comes before healing. Whatever it takes rejoices in small and big achievements. Whatever it takes recognizes that sometimes we do not have whatever it takes and we must rely on God.
Crossroad Childrens Home has been relying on God to serve the needs of children who are abused and neglected since 1883. And they continue to do whatever it takes with the help of churches and individuals who support their ministry. I was blessed to be a part of this ministry for six weeks and take a small role in Creating promising futures for children, whatever it takes.
–Jill Terpstra
Jill Terpstra is the CHHSM Scholar, a position made possible by the United Church of Christ Make a Difference Scholarship in Health and Human Service Administration administered by CHHSM. She is a student in care of the Pittsburgh Association of the Penn West Conference and is in her third year of the four-year dual Master of Divinity and Social Work Administration Program at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and the University a Pittsburgh.