Crossroads Urban Center was officially organized on February 8, 1966, to utilize the then surplus building near downtown Salt Lake City owned by the Women's Division of the United Methodist Church. Originally Crossroads served as a community center; organizing a youth drop-in center, a free school, drug counseling, and other activities to serve the surrounding neighborhoods. An emergency food pantry and thrift store quickly emerged as focal points for local church involvement. In the early 1970's Crossroads made two important commitments that still guide our work. One was to be more ecumenical in nature and approach. Today for example, a member of a local UCC or Lutheran congregation may very well feel as much "ownership" of Crossroads as the average United Methodist.
Crossroads also decided to work on the root causes of poverty and injustice and not merely address symptoms. This has meant an unwavering commitment to community organizing and to the process of involving people in the decisions that affect their lives and impact their ability to be self-sufficient, whether those decisions are made by government, the private sector, or the individuals themselves. Over the past decades, Crossroads has initiated and developed dozens advocacy projects and new community organizations to provide services not otherwise available in our community.
The mission presence which led to the creation of Crossroads dates back to the nineteenth century. The minutes of the Women's Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church for July 1, 1881 indicate that, "A suggestion of inaugurating a work at Salt Lake offered by the corresponding secretary was approved."
Crossroads food pantry and advocacy groups are housed in a historic building that has been owned by the women of the United Methodist Church since 1905. It is maintained through the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church and by the Board of Directors of Crossroads Urban Center which also maintains the thrift store building.