Come One Come All: Crossroads Inc. Muscatine Holds Sixth Annual Carnival (Updated with Event Photos)
by Margaret Hurlbert
August 30, 2019

For fifty years, Crossroads Inc. (Crossroads) has played an important role in the Muscatine Community. By helping people with disabilities find meaningful work and live comfortably, Crossroads provides much needed services to many area residents. To support their vital work, Crossroads hosts a carnival to help raise funds to keep their programs operating. A day of fun for all, Crossroads looks forward to welcoming Muscatine to their sixth annual carnival on Saturday, August 24th.


According to Shanon Johnson of Crossroads, the group has a mission to, “[assist] people in reaching their greatest potential.” To live up to this goal, Crossroads offers a variety of programs for those with disabilities.


Because people with disabilities may need help finding jobs that matches their individual skill sets, Crossroads gives its clients several different options for finding meaningful work. For some, workplace training and supported community employment allows them to take a job at a local business, and to have assistance from a mentor at Crossroads to help them learn their job responsibilities and become comfortable in their new work environment. For others who need a higher level of support, Crossroads runs a shredding service where individuals with disabilities work closely with supervisors to collect and destroy documents for numerous businesses throughout Muscatine. Crossroads also has a workshop where those who benefit most from supervision can do contract work for local companies, typically packaging small parts that go to larger pieces of furniture or equipment.


In addition to their employment services, Crossroads also offers a variety of daily living programs. For those who cannot work or only work part time, Crossroads provides a day habilitation program. Through a variety of activities, such as community field trips, lunches at local restaurants, visits to local parks, and art projects, day habilitation allows participants to become active members of their community and to continue learning and growing in many areas. Along with day habilitation, Crossroads also offers supported community living options both on an hourly basis (where a Crossroads caregiver visits a client to help with specific needs) and at their supported community living housing (where residents live in one of Crossroads properties along with a full-time caregiver).


Each of these programs provides innumerable benefits to the community. To keep all of these services funded though, Crossroads needs grants and donations from the community. To this end, the Crossroads Carnival provides the perfect time for people to give back to this organization.


From 11:00 am to 3:00 pm on August 24th, Crossroads will welcome the whole community to come enjoy fun carnival events at their campus, located at 1424 Houser Street, Muscatine. These activities will include popular carnival games such as duck pond, dingo dig, and football throw, an assortment of bounce houses, a silent auction filled with hot ticket items such as passes to area attractions and sports memorabilia, a bake sale, concessions, live DJ action from Troy Philpott and Brian Morgan, and a pie in the face contest.


Not only will the Crossroads Carnival give the community a chance to give back to an organization that does so much to make a difference, the Carnival will also provide a wonderful time for friends and neighbors to come together and enjoy themselves. “It’s fun for the whole family. It will help create more awareness of our services, promote inclusion, and support a good cause,” said Johnson, who most looks forward to, “Seeing the community of all ages and abilities coming together for a fun day together.”


With the summer of 2019 rapidly drawing to a close, everyone could use one more day out. By attending the Crossroads Carnival, Muscatine can have one last crack at fun in the sun, and generously support this important local group.


Photos from the 2019 Crossroads Carnival, Sponsored by Kent Corporation and HNI

Recent Stories

Recent Shows

Get Discover Muscatine in Your Inbox

Select list(s):
en_USEnglish