Teen Service Project:  The Crossing of Manitowoc County

St. Francis of Assisi LifeTeen will be collecting baby items for the Crossing in Manitowoc.  The Crossing is a Christian crisis pregnancy center that works with women with unplanned pregnancies and provides support, counseling, and necessary items to support the mother and unborn baby through the pregnancy.  This pro-life organization is vitally important in protecting the dignity of human life in our community.  On October 9th we will be collecting baby items to donate to The Crossing. You can find a list of needed items on this page.  You may bring these items to your worship site and leave them in a box near the entrance for pick up on Monday, or you may bring them to the parish office.  For more information about the national movement, please visit the following link:  

www.catholicyouthministry.com/give-it-away-now-the-oh-baby-edition/ 

Click here for a listing of The Crossing Boutique Needs.

 

A Brief History :

  • The Crossing of Manitowoc County, Inc. began in December 2004, when five women and two men who shared a common vision to bring a pregnancy help/resource center to Manitowoc County met and prayed and began to explore how to bring that vision to reality.             
  • In May of 2005, The Crossing founders successfully applied for and received approval as a 501 c 3 organization.  In August of that year, a board of directors was formed, by-laws were drawn up, an ethical constitution was approved, and in February of 2006 a first lease was signed for our property at 814 Washington Street in Manitowoc. 
  • The Crossing began offering help to men, women, and children caught in the distress of unplanned pregnancy in 2006 
  • In 2010 The Crossing introduced “Earn While You Learn”, an educational program with over 150 class choices for men and women.  As members complete classes they earn credits, “mommy money” or “daddy dollars” to shop in The Crossing Boutique. The Crossing has several groups and an education committee that reach out to community parents and youth, encouraging discussion and decisions that promote healthy relationships.  The Crossing currently has close to 200 client visits a month, with over 100 men and women enrolled in EWYL. 
  •  The Crossing collaborates with the Health Department, Lakeshore Family Resources, Healthiest Manitowoc 2020, Manitowoc County Jail, local churches, and hospitals, Human Services and other community agencies. 
  • We are affiliated with Heartbeat International (Pregnancy Center Leadership and Advocate) and NIFLA (National Institute of Family and Life Advocates). 
  • Our funding has come from donations and fundraisers of various sources, including Wisconsin Right to Life – Manitowoc County Chapter, church ministries and local organizations such as Knights of Columbus.  
    • The Crossing’s first dessert socials, “Noche de la Vida” were held in 2006 and 2007.
    •  The dessert socials were succeeded by our annual fundraising banquets. 
    • Our first Walk for Life occurred in spring of 2010. 
    • Grant writing has been discussed several times and is on the immediate horizon

Our first Golf Fore Life fundraiser will be held September 17th 2011.

 

Current Services

·         Pregnancy Consultants:  Volunteers undergo basic training and continue in a mentorship program until they are ready to counsel on their own. 

·         Pregnancy Tests:  Clients self-administer free, medical quality pregnancy tests in the middle of a counseling session, then continue with exploration of their options.

·         Boutique: We provide maternity clothing, baby and youth clothing (to size 6x), diapers, wipes and formula; household and personal care items, and assorted baby furniture and accessories.

·         Sexual Integrity Training

o    School speaker program

o    Parent and community education events

·         Support Groups

o    H.E.A.R.T. – Healing from the Effects of Abortion Related Trauma

o    Relationship Group – Women’s group to encourage healthy relationships

·         Jail Classes – Better Choices two session course

·         Earn While You Learn Parenting Program:  Gives clients an opportunity to learn about themselves, pregnancy, parenting and practical living while earning “mommy money” or “daddy dollars” to use in our boutique to meet their needs and those of their child(ren). They learn skills and information and purchase with their earnings, moving them away from entitlement and dependency.

·         Medical Clinic offering free limited obstetrical ultrasound to abortion minded women available late 2011 or early 2012.

 

Current Support Services

 

·         Financial and Legal and Office management

·         Website development and management

·         Development

o    Donor communication and recruiting

o    Advertising

o    Community relations

o     

 

Future Developments

·         Medical:  STD testing