Crossroads Mission barbecue fundraiser supports new men’s shelter project in Yuma

Each $10 barbecue plate sold Friday at the Super 8 Motel parking lot on Riley Avenue was tied to a single purpose: helping Crossroads Mission build its Center of Hope men’s shelter project in Yuma. The fifth annual drive-thru fundraiser ran from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Crossroads Mission said every dollar raised would go directly to the shelter effort.

The setup was built for broad participation. Crossroads Mission also offered free delivery within city limits on orders of 10 plates or more, a detail that helped turn the fundraiser into a lunch stop for local businesses, employers and organizations. Some bought meals for staff lunches and team appreciation events, while others donated plates to people in the community. Marketing and Development Director Azucena Solorzano said the low price was possible because a donor helped cover some of the food costs, keeping the fundraiser affordable while allowing more plates to be sold.

The barbecue was not just a one-day effort. It was part of a multi-year push to raise money for the Center of Hope, a men’s shelter project that has already been supported through a June 2021 online auction and a 2026 County Lovin’ Hoedown. Crossroads Mission says the shelter remains in the buildout phase, which means the project still depends on community dollars to move forward.

That need sits inside a larger local safety net. Crossroads Mission says it provides emergency shelter, temporary housing, free meals, showers, bathrooms, case management and addiction recovery support, with shelters open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. CEO Myra Garlit, who has led the organization since 2004, has tripled its program capacity, staff and outreach, and has overseen major building projects including the Family Shelter and the First Step Center of Excellence.

The stakes are sharpened by Yuma’s climate and homelessness conditions. The Yuma Coalition to End Homelessness describes its Point-in-Time count as a one-night snapshot taken during the last 10 days of January to measure homelessness in the county, including people in shelters, transitional housing and places not meant for human habitation. The National Weather Service says Yuma averages 111 days a year at or above 100 degrees and 25 days at or above 110 degrees, with a 31-day stretch of 110-degree-or-higher temperatures recorded from June 30 to July 30, 2023. In that setting, added shelter capacity is more than a building project: it is part of the county’s basic emergency response.