About Us
What we are and are not
What we do
Purpose
Crossroads of Crawford County affirms life by providing Christian direction and resources to individuals and families in the crossroads of life.
Mission
Crossroads of Crawford County Biblically, professionally, and compassionately serves those facing life-altering crossroads at pregnancy, during parenting, and through later life adjustments.
Vision
To engage and equip the community in providing Christian hope to individuals and families, educating and equipping them to making life-affirming choices.
Christian, denomination-neutral encouragement & direction
We believe we have a Christian responsibility to live our life in service to others and to be a light in the world.
We seek the partnering from all Christian denominations to provide through our programs:
- A listening heart
- Networking with other professionals/ organizations/programs that are suitable to the needs
- Hope & encouragement
- Mentoring & befriending
- Individualized Information and Christian resources
We serve within our program areas to all families, regardless of race, gender, abilities, or religion.
We reserve the right to refer to services elsewhere according to our time and ability to provide.
Our Core Values
At Crossroads of Crawford County, we strive to live our values in every decision we make. They guide our mission and help to light the path that we travel, both as an agency and as professional helpers.
Grace - a gift given though we do not deserve it. We believe that we could never earn our way into eternal life in heaven, but that through grace, God welcomes those who believe in and love Him, in spite of our sin and brokenness.
Family -God invented marriage and family to be a reflection of His unconditional love for us, to optimally nurture us into being caring and productive individuals, and to be a safe structure for His plan of procreation.
Life - as long as God allows our hearts to beat, we have purpose on this earth through Him. As Christians we are to treat all life with dignity, sincerity, and admiration, even when sometimes we do not understand His ways.
Purpose - we believe God CREATED us in His image, REDEEMED us through His death & resurrection, and CALLED us to relationship with Him and service to our neighbor.
Love - the merciful ACTION form of love that God wants us to have for ourselves, our family, and our neighbor; the love that DOES in Jesus' name!
Foundational Principles
Community
We believe God created us to serve each other in a spirit of friendship and genuine respect for our neighbor. We value the contributions of all individuals and do everything possible to help each other grow and contribute in our world.
Stewardship
We have a responsibility to the families, the community, and to our staff to diligently use the resources with which we have been entrusted.
Holistic Health
We recognize that we are created with an intricate and amazing body and mind that are meant to work in symmetry. Our emotions, thoughts, and spiritual condition directly affect our physical and mental health, as does our nutritional intake, sleep routine, physical exercise, and spiritual development.
Our operational beliefs, which form our values, are a reflection of the foundational Christian summary of beliefs for all Christian denominations found in the Apostles Creed. We furthermore model after the Lord's Prayer that Christ taught, and the Ten Commandments provided for all humankind in the Old Testament.
A safe
starting
place.
An
encouraging
middle
place.
A healthy
ending place.
BOARD MEMBERS
The full Board of Directors for Crossroads of Crawford County meets approximately five times annually in addition to subcommittee meetings in other months. Our success depends on a varied board with a passion for community outreach. We very much need community members who are willing to share about our work with the community and devote a bit of their time, passions, or expertise on behalf of healthy families and Christian outreach. We are looking for a variety of occupations, Christian church denominations, ages, and either gender. Please contact Director Janette Clausen or another board member if you are interested or wish to make a nomination!’
Board of Directors
As of January 2021
Janette Clausen, Founder & Director (nonvoting)
Over thirty years ago, Janette came to Crawford County, just out of college. Her plans at that point didn’t include staying long, but she met her husband Grant who was farming at that time, and things changed. Grant and Janette live in Schleswig, Iowa, and have three adult children and one son-in-law. She is a Licensed Bachelor Social Worker with a professional background in foster care, family services, and all types of adoption.
The organization of Crossroads of Crawford County began when Janette intentionally collaborated with professionals and laypeople in the area over what service they felt the community needs but was not yet provided. A clear theme was that families needed help figuring their way to the professional resources available and they desired an informational source for a variety of family issues that did not necessitate professional counseling.
This identified need, combined with Janette’s passion for and experience in grief work, healthy adoption, and the important role of family, led way for a service that encourages people through their circumstances and helps them recognize that their unique experiences contribute to a pattern of life choices. Janette is the founder and director of this flexible, creative agency.
Allen Staley, President
Allen joined as a board member in June 2019. He and his wife Peggy live in Charter Oak where he was also raised. They have 5 children, a son-in-law, and a grandchild. From adult-aged to their youngest being in elementary school, the Staley family keeps active enjoying a variety of family time together.
As co-owner of a reputable catering business for 32 years, Allen is hard-working and is a strong community-minded person. He and Peggy are committed to church, family, and community. Allen has served in almost all the community organizations in Charter Oak, including the Parish Council at St. Boniface Catholic Church, the Volunteer Fire Department, Community Club, Commercial Club, CO-U Alumni Association, Centennial, Quasqicentennial and the Crawford County Fair Association in Denison.
In time away from work, Allen enjoys spending time with his family, working in the yard, and volunteering.
We are honored to have the business management skills Allen brings to our board, as well as the many personal connections he has throughout his lifetime in the county.
Jackie Surprenant, Treasurer
Jackie joined Crossroads as a Board member in June 2019. She and her husband Larry live in Denison and have a blended family including 6 children ranging from adults to the youngest in high school. With their 5 grown children married and spread out across the state, they spend a lot of time traveling to visit and following their 13 grandchildren’s athletics.
As an accountant for the Denison Job Corps, Jackie maintains a busy routine and enjoys the students and staff there. In her spare time, she enjoys heading to the city to visit the zoo or many various festivals, playing Bunco, scrapbooking, and going out to dinner with friends. She also loves to head to Okoboji to enjoy the lake, play mini-golf and shuffleboard, and spend time with her family. Jackie joins us with a variety of personal and professional experience.
Brittany Bremser
Brittany has been actively involved in the development of Crossroads’ outreach since it’s onset. She became a board member in June 2019.
After graduating from nursing school, she and her husband lived and worked in Colorado several years before returning to Schleswig where she grew up. Both she and her husband are nurses by profession; Brittany work PRN status for both Horn Memorial in Ida Grove and for CCMH in Denison. She is also a full-time student to become a Nurse Practitioner. They have one child.
In her spare time, Brittany enjoys biking, traveling, crafting, and time with friends or family.
From general health questions to more specialized issues, medical field experience is oftentimes helpful to the staff at Crossroads. Encouragement for a healthy lifestyle and choices backed up by medical expertise is highly applicable to so many families we see. Additionally, Brittany is always willing to help with fundraising events, mentoring, and direct time with families and children.
Marty Sandberg
Marty Sandberg of Kiron joined the Board of Directors in June 2021. She brings to Crossroads a wealth of experience, both professional and personal. After living all over the US as she grew up, she graduated from Buena Vista University with a degree in education and through many years of teaching has inspired plenty of youth. She tried to retire twice but still gravitates back to teaching, and currently works part time as an ESL/ELL teacher at Western Iowa Technical College in Denison.
Volunteering is common for Marty. In addition to this board role, she is a hospice volunteer for the Crawford County Public Health & Hospice, and has been involved in numerous positions and groups within their church. She has been married to her husband Ed for 50 years, and they have 2 daughters and 4 grandchildren.
Marty finds traveling, nature, history, camping, boating, gardening, art, and painting enjoyable but most of all appreciates time with her family. Crossroads will benefit from her array of interests and talents, and her sincere interest in contributing toward Crossroads mission.
Newly elected! Info coming soon!
Sharon Staley, Angie Ellis, John Schoonover
