Crossroads Expands to Orange County
Crossroads has officially expanded into Orange County! Following months of preparations, the site finally launched this past week. This move doubles the geographic reach of Crossroads and its services, while also bringing together dozens of new organizations to improve access to their respective resources. Let’s explore what it took to double Crossroads and where Crossroads may go next!
A photo of the Orange County Same Day Solutions Fair taken by Hayden Hughes (me)
What it took
Crossroads was built to be replicated. Despite starting in San Diego, the goal was always to expand past the county limits. With thousands helped in San Diego, we knew Crossroads was a vital resource for the unhoused, and we decided to expand northward. Working with organizations we met in San Diego that had sister locations in Orange County, we began calling them to pitch the idea. After enough partnerships were made, Crossroads was invited to attend Orange County’s Same Day Solution Fair to meet and connect with local resources (pictured above). At this fair, I met with 26 different resources and formed partnerships with all of them to add them to the site. Once the resources were added to the site, Crossroadsorangecounty.com officially launched.
What this means
Crossroads being able to work in other counties outside of San Diego showcases that Crossroads can successfully be replicated and make impacts in other parts of the United States. Organizations in Orange County agree that an accessible digital database for homeless resources was needed, and that Crossroads was a perfect solution. With success in San Diego and Orange County, I am confident Crossroads can help any city in the United States.
Where Crossroads will go next
Crossroads, working in San Diego and Orange County, has shown that it has the ability to work in any city in the United States. Currently, requests for a Crossroads expansion have come from Phoenix, Imperial County, and Riverside. From here, Crossroads now has to decide which to do first, with an expansion to occur in the near future. Congrats Crossroads!