At our annual meeting on October 22, staff, volunteers, community leaders and current and previous members of the board came together to celebrate a landmark year of growth, service, and transformation. The gathering highlighted record demand for services, major progress on the construction of a permanent women’s shelter, and the merger of the organization’s foundation — all underscoring a renewed commitment to addressing poverty and serving vulnerable neighbors across the Ozarks.
“This year marked the beginning of a new chapter in our five-decades strong story,” said President and CEO Jaimie Trussell. “We saw another year of increase in demand for services, and significant rising costs to care for our guests. Yet amid rising need, and tremendous economic uncertainty, God’s provision has been constant.”
A New Identity for the Future
In early 2025, the organization officially reintroduced itself as Crosslines Community Outreach — a name chosen to better reflect its mission and long-recognized flagship program. The rebrand, decades in consideration, aimed to remove confusion around services and expand community connection.
“Identity matters,” the organization shared in its annual report. “A name alone cannot carry an organization — but a mission carried by a community can.”
Meeting an ever-increasing need
Across its food pantry, senior programs, foster support services, homeless shelter, diaper bank, educational mentoring, and long-term care advocacy, Crosslines continued to “inspire hope through compassion and action” — as demand reached unprecedented levels. Highlights included:
- Expanded pantry shopping visitsOver ONE MILLION diapers distributed to families in need526 women sheltered through Safe to Sleep – 20 housed!Increased participation in reading and math support for children.Growth in senior food programs and case-management services
Faithful volunteers powered the work, contributing to tens of thousands of service hours! If the organization had to pay wages for each hour donated – it would add more than 2 million dollars to the bottom line!
Safe to Sleep Nearing Home of Its Own
A key achievement was progress on the NextLevell Capital Campaign to construct the first permanent home for Safe to Sleep, the only low-barrier emergency women’s shelter in SW Missouri. After a decade of operating in temporary spaces, the new facility hopes to open debt-free in Spring 2026 — with ARPA funding from the City of Springfield and State of Missouri and the support of several community donors.
“As of print time, we are just $1.1 million shy of our $4 million goal,” the report read.
Celebrating Leadership & Shared Values
The annual meeting included the installation of new board members and officers, recognition of staff and community partners, and program updates from department leaders.
Outgoing board chair Curtis McLaughlin, the Director of Pastoral Care for CoxHealth, reflected on the organization’s progress during a period of historic need, calling his tenure “one of the most meaningful experiences of my life.”
“When I look back over the past year—and even the year before—I am amazed at what we’ve accomplished together,” McLaughlin said. “Last year, Crosslines saw a 35% increase in the number of individuals and families we served… This year, we didn’t just match that growth—we built upon it—with an additional 20% increase. That’s more than 50% growth in two years.”
“To put it plainly: the need in our community has never been greater. But neither has our response.”
McLaughlin highlighted the reach of Crosslines’ programs, including distributing more than 1.9 million pounds of food, expanding case management support, and improving academic outcomes for children through the Reading & Math Buddies program. “Behind each of these numbers is a story,” he said. “A single mom working two jobs… A senior choosing between medication and groceries… A child going to school with food in their belly because of the work we’ve done here.”
“I’m proud of the growth we’ve seen. But I’m even more proud that as the need increased, so did our compassion. Crosslines has never been just about food or clothes or emergency aid — it’s about human dignity… It’s about empathy, understanding, and love.”
McLaughlin closed by thanking staff, volunteers, donors, and partners, adding:
“Let’s continue to rise to the challenge. Let’s keep meetings in need with grace. And let’s never lose sight of what brought us here in the first place.”
He then passed the gavel to incoming board chair Jack Cole, a retired IT professional and the mayor of Rogersville, Missouri, offering a blessing for his leadership.
Staff reflected on a year grounded in values such as “people first,” shared mission, accountability, and striving for excellence — emphasizing that “needs change, lives are messy, and poverty is complicated,” and that flexibility and unity are essential in service.
A Foundation United
In another milestone, the Council of Churches Foundation formally merged back into Crosslines, simplifying governance and strengthening long-term sustainability.
“This merger completes a journey of reconciliation,” the organization shared, ensuring donor intent and mission alignment for generations to come.
Looking Ahead
Trussell closed the program by inviting continued partnership, sharing a vision for 2026 centered on compassionate service, strategic growth, and a united community effort to meet rising needs.
“Our mission remains rooted in Christ’s call to love our neighbors,” she said. “Together, we can create a community where every neighbor experiences hope and opportunity.”