Each weekday between 30 and 40 teens enter Crosswalk Teen Center after-school and during the summer and go the kitchen looking for a meal before they participate in one of the many programs and activities that Crosswalk offers.  Crosswalk has served a hot meals to teens since 2015 when we noticed that the need was more than just a simple snack. The demand and dependency upon these meals has increased from the first day we opened in February of 2014, when we only served a popcorn snack, for some of our teens this is their evening meal.  To meet the needs of the teens that come to Crosswalk Teen Center the kitchen is requiring a remodel.  We started as a simple teaching kitchen, but now we need to add commercial equipment to meet our needs.  We are seeking funds to add a new kitchen hood with fire suppression, a commercial stove and oven, and a small commercial griddle.  We need $60,000 to purchase and install the new kitchen. 

Please help up reach this goal by going to the donate button at the top or by mailing a check to Crosswalk Teen Center, marked kitchen fund, and send to 103 W Lawrence Ave., Charlotte, MI  48813

With the completion of the painting of the wood trim on the 2nd and 3rd story windows and the addition of new signs the final 2 phases of this project have been completed.  Thank you to the Capital Community Foundation for their support in the project and thank you to all the matching donations to make our exterior look so much better and be more energy efficient.

Crosswalk has completed phase 3 of the exterior remodel.  When removing the overhang and looking behind the wood siding, large cement filled voids were found and the decision was made to leave the wood siding and put an updated stucco with 2" of insulation due to budget of the project.  This phase followed the window replacement on the 2nd and 1st floors, the door replacement on the 1st floor, and replacement of a nearly 50 year old HVAC system.  The added insulation, new windows & doors, and the new high efficiecy HVAC system has made a difference can be detected in both less street noise and lower energy bills.  Thank you Capital Area Community Foundation and the matching donations from so many individuals.

This weekend we announced our goal to make improvements to the exterior of the building and replace old inefficient windows.  The architect has estimated the project at $200,000. We plan to complete the project in stages as the money is donated.  We are working to find grants to help with funding this project but need your help to raise the matching funds that most grants require, so we need $100,000. A generous donor has already stepped forward and contributed to this building fund.

This project is a huge undertaking, yet will make a great improvement to the downtown Charlotte area.  

 If you would like to give to this project,  we have several ways to contribute:
1. Give on this website and add a note "Building Fund" (You can do monthly and quarterly giving this way) www.crosswalkteencenter.org/donate
2. Mail or Drop off a check to 103 W Lawrence Ave, Charlotte, MI 48813, made out to "Crosswalk Teen Center" and mention "Building Fund" in the memo. 

Also, Thank You to all of our regular givers who continue to support our operations and programs. Without you, we would not be able to serve our teens. 

We at Crosswalk are so excited to see all of our teens and volunteers! Its been too long! We love you guys! 

THE NEW NORMAL OPENING"

Join us as we celebrate being back together! We will have food, games and art!
Crosswalk is excited to announce that we will be opening up Tuesday, June 16th, 2:30-7:00pm. We will begin the summer with four days per week and add Monday's in August as the state continues to reopen.  Hope to see you Tuesday-Thursday 2:30-7:00pm, and Friday 2:30-6:00pm.

We will be taking precautions for everyone's safety: temperatures tests, hand washing/sanitizing stations, additional cleaning, encouraging social distancing, and limiting physical contact.

Share with your friends!

We can't wait to see you!

​COVID-19 Response
Crosswalk Teen Center Closing Until Further Notice
 
Late Thursday evening, March 12, Governor Whitmer announced that Michigan public and private schools will be closed beginning Monday, March 16 until Monday, April 6 due to the increased number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Michigan.  In order to do are part in preventing the potential spread of COVID-19 and in compliance with the governor’s order, Crosswalk Teen Center will be closed beginning Saturday, March 14 until further notice.
 
We hope that all the efforts that the state, schools, and Crosswalk are making will help to prevent the spread of the virus so we can resume operation and life as usual.  We will be watching closely the status of reported cases in Eaton County and the Greater Lansing region and may decide it is safe enough to reopen before April 6.  Please stay updated for potential announcements on Facebook and Instagram.
 
We are sorry for the inconvenience and know that many teens count on us for critical services, we will continue to be available for individual need requests via phone, email, and text.  We encourage all of our teens and others to follow the CDC and health department recommendation to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:
 

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Cover your cough or sneeze in the bend of the arm or in a tissue.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus. Prevention is the key to successful control of infectious diseases.
 
Rick Todd
Executive Director
(517) 256-7276
rickt@crosswalkteencenter.org