How One Family's Incredibly Selfless Adoptions Led to XHope Missions, a Nonprofit Serving Children Locally and Internationally.

Wendi Cross: [00:00:00] We launched our local program really out of our house at first. It was just taking diaper bags and baby supplies to parents who had said yes to emergency placement. And then we started with school supplies because a lot of the kids were older and backpacks and new clothes and bedding and all the things.

And so that's kind of how our local program started and now it's exponentially grown to support vulnerable youth, not just foster placement, but unsheltered kids, kids who have experienced domestic violence or. A single parent that just needs a season of support. I'm

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I look forward to more engagement with you as we continue to grow and better serve our nonprofit community. Thanks. An Ethiopian adoption, a Ugandan children's home, and a very startling family situation that has brought X hope missions to provide support for those in need in Elk Grove and the surrounding area.

is the story you're going to hear in this episode. And I'm only going to say that this is one story of twists and turns that if I told you up front, you'd find hard to believe. [00:03:00] When you hear it from the co founder of the organization, you'll realize the truth and the reality of what it has both provided and what it has taken to make X Hope Missions successful.

I'm speaking with Wendy Cross, who with her husband Rick are the co founders of X Hope Missions. It's not often I speak with a nonprofit organization that has its base in Elk Grove and its service both locally and internationally in Africa, but that's exactly how XHOPE Missions serves. The family dynamic is one that you'll not forget and the growth they've accomplished for the greater good in our community is impressive.

Wendy Cross, welcome to the nonprofit podcast network. 

Wendi Cross: Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here. It's an honor. I've listened to some of what you all are doing and it's incredible for us to have this opportunity to share. 

Jeff Holden: Thank you so much. I'm happy to have you in the studio. Most organizations we speak with.

start smaller or have a [00:04:00] history for 30, 40 years in a community, and then they grow out into other areas, in some cases, international. You're the opposite. 

Wendi Cross: We are. You, 

Jeff Holden: you started in Uganda. and have a program now in the greater Sacramento area. Tell us a little bit about that because it's so unique. 

Wendi Cross: I think you're right.

I think that is what's so unique about us is that we're able to meet the needs of vulnerable kids and families all the way across the world and then right here in our own backyard. But it did start internationally and it was after our own, um, international adoption. And so, um, We adopted a little boy, actually, from Ethiopia when he was 11.

He was one of the children in the children's home that had waited for adoption. And the children's home had filled up and emptied out twice. Oh, and he was still there. Nobody wanted to adopt an older boy. And my husband had gone for a visit. We were financially [00:05:00] supporting this children's home and Went to kind of see where our money was going.

And while he was there, he just, his heart broke for what he saw. It was his first time visiting Africa. He visited Ethiopia and Uganda on that trip. And he basically wrote to me from Yahoo Messenger back then. And he said, Hey, our lives are never going to look the same from what I just experienced. I can't stop crying.

He's a football player, 6'5 350 pounds. And I hadn't seen him cry very often. I got real nervous. I'm thinking, Oh my gosh, he's going to come home. We're selling everything and moving to Africa. Yeah. But we didn't. We had committed to pray for these kids that needed families and got to the picture of our now son, Nebiyu, and he told me that story.

And I just started to lose sleep. At the time, we had four biological kids. I had told my husband the game was over. I was tired. I was a mom of three busy boys and one baby girl, but our oldest son was the same age as Nebiyu. And I started to lose sleep. 

Jeff Holden: You ended up with two eleven year old boys? 

Wendi Cross: [00:06:00] Twelve.

By the time we brought him home he was twelve. Yeah, and so I just, I remember waking my husband up and I just said, Hey, we're praying for something we can be the answer to. What if something happened to us and no one would take Colby because he was an older boy? I think we need to go for Nebu. I think he's our son, and my husband sat up.

If you're willing, start the paperwork tomorrow. And so we did. Wow. And I think out of those journeys, you have eyes to see things you would have never known had you not gone. And so on that trip, we learned a ton about what was happening in orphan care at that children's home. And we learned, uh, how to do the same thing and we mirrored what was happening in Uganda and we started partnering with an organization there and I became the executive director of Redeemer House Children's Home in 2013.

And so, okay, 

Jeff Holden: so 11 years ago, coincidentally, 

Wendi Cross: oh my gosh, you're right. Yeah. So we started at the time we had very few children in the children's home. We were just learning [00:07:00] about orphan care. The government really wanted us to purchase land. So, when you are taking in orphans through the government, they don't want you moving them everywhere.

It takes them farther and farther. It unsettles them. And so we purchased land and we built our own children's home. It's ran 100 percent by Ugandan staff with, with the heartbeat to see these kids back into their families. So in Africa, 90 percent of orphans can be resettled back into biological families if we supported the families.

And so instead of adopting internationally, which can cost around 30, We put our efforts into empowering the local families 

Jeff Holden: to reintegrate their child 

Wendi Cross: to reintegrate their kids And a lot of these kids have living relatives. They don't they don't want to leave them, 

Jeff Holden: right? 

Wendi Cross: You know, they want the American dream, but they don't know and then a lot of kids when they get here Internationally adopted and they know their head they have living family there.

They don't thrive here They [00:08:00] want plan A. They want their mom and dad. And so instead of adopting kids out that have living families, no, no, we begin educating the children. We enroll them in school. And that has been the main catalyst and success for reunification. Oftentimes with an auntie or an uncle or a grandma or grandpa, if the parents are, deceased or unable, and because we're educating the kids, because we're putting them in school, they now become a blessing to that family that takes them in, because there's a possibility that that child will get an education and be able to break the cycle of poverty for the entire family unit.

Jeff Holden: That's amazing. So that is the African side of things. 

Wendi Cross: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: You have an organization that now works a little bit differently, but, but not that dissimilar in the greater Sacramento region. And it's almost as unique a story. So, [00:09:00] walk us through that because I think the listeners going, well, this is, this isn't about Sacramento.

This is, yeah, that's nice. You know, they've got something going in Uganda and Africa, but What about us? 

Wendi Cross: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: And, and you have a what about us story that's equally as amazing. 

Wendi Cross: Yes, and equally as terrifying from the start, right? Like just stepping into something. Really, we weren't, didn't feel equipped for or ready for, but so we now had five kids.

Our newest was a 12 year old boy from Ethiopia that spoke no English, and we got a phone call from an estranged cousin of mine that I hadn't seen since I was a little girl, and she was in the hospital in Sacramento, and she said, Hey, I, I heard you guys pray for kids in Africa. Can you come pray for this baby?

I just had a baby. I don't know what's wrong with him. And so my husband and I went to the hospital, and unfortunately, she was not well. It was very obvious that she was detoxing from drugs. Use [00:10:00] and addiction and had been on the streets during that pregnancy and so the baby was born nine pounds 15 ounces three weeks early no prenatal care and so addicted to methamphetamines That had you taken them off the morphine drip.

He would have had a heart attack and so We brought my cousin home and helped her detox and kept her until we could find a rehab. And every morning and every night we took her to visit her son and Unfortunately, after a couple days in the rehab center, she left. And so, the county social worker at the hospital, who now knew us well because Closest kin.

Mm hmm. We were there every morning and every night, asked us if we would take him into our home. She said the best place for him is in a family and if he has the love and care he needs, he may be able to, to be successful someday. We Now, 

Jeff Holden: where are we in terms of timing [00:11:00] here? 

Wendi Cross: He was six weeks old. 

Jeff Holden: What year?

Wendi Cross: 2011. 

Jeff Holden: Oh boy, because we're going to get to 13 years later, which I can't wait to hear. Which is, again, coincidental in terms of the timing with Nebbyu. Did I say that right? Yeah. 

Wendi Cross: You did. Yeah. So, so 

Jeff Holden: you have somebody who is trying to integrate, learn the language, completely different culture, country, complexion, everything.

Yes. And now you've got. A baby at the same time. 

Wendi Cross: Yeah, and to be honest, saying yes to the baby was actually harder for my husband and I than the yes to nebu. Because of that transition, because we were already experiencing a lot of challenges. And, um, Our first response to the social worker was, we can't give you an answer yet.

We need to talk to the kids. And to be honest, we sat with our kids and we told them, here's the story about Jason. Most of them had met him already cause they had gone with me once or twice to the [00:12:00] hospital. He needs a family. He's going into foster care. We were going to pray for him and daddy and I don't think we're the family and our kids opposed that decision and said, yes, we are.

Why would we not try this? Let's take him. We explained to them, he's coming with a big medical file, meaning possible cerebral palsy, um, may never walk or talk. He's coming with a feeding tube. He couldn't drink a bottle yet. And I can't leave him unless there's a nurse. So like, do you understand what we're saying yes to?

You know, two of the boys at that time were in travel soccer. We were, we were a very competitive soccer family and did a lot of travel. I'm like, we're not going anywhere for a while. And every one of our kids still said, we want to bring Jason. 

Jeff Holden: Now, can you imagine Nebu thinking, This is what it's like in the United States.

They have me and this other baby kid shows up too at the same time. Yeah. 

Wendi Cross: He was all about it though. And it's for, you know, I don't think anything ever [00:13:00] happens on accident. So our, our, our now 13 year old Jason, so we're, we're moving forward 13 years. He actually just spoke at our event last week for the first time.

He's given me permission to share his story since he was around eight. Um, but then this time he said, can I share my own story? And he got on stage and he shared his adoption story and the impact it's made. And he looks over to his brother Nebu and he said, I'm so thankful that I have a brother that's just like me.

They don't look anything alike, but to him, he's just like him because they've experienced the same type of. Family unit through trauma, but it's become beautiful to them. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah 

Wendi Cross: with 

Jeff Holden: abandonment and then acceptance 

Wendi Cross: exactly 

Jeff Holden: Yes, that is an incredible story. I don't know how you did that And now the other children are well into their teens and early 20s 

Wendi Cross: Yeah.

Jeff Holden: And maybe some are already out of the house, right? 

Wendi Cross: Yes, they are. Four are out of the house. Okay. Three are married. 

Jeff Holden: Of the half a dozen you have. Uh 

Wendi Cross: huh. [00:14:00] Of the half. We're multiplying. It's been so beautiful and so fun. And we really just look back and go, wow, I'm so glad we didn't say no to any of this. Uh 

Jeff Holden: huh.

Wendi Cross: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: So that led you to take some action locally because you saw some things through the process with Jason. Yeah. that you recognized as problems. Walk us through what that looks like. And that's really some of the genesis of X Hope. 

Wendi Cross: It is. It is. Both our international program was birthed out of our adoption experience and then locally as well.

So we adopted Jason when we brought him into our home as emergency placement and Sacramento County wants to place kids with biological families. So they'll start calling aunties and uncles and cousins. I mean, they'll ask for a list and they'll call you And you are not prepared, nor did you plan, to say yes to a placement.

Uh, so that's exactly what happened with Jason. And when he came to us, he was on a very specialized formula. He needed medical equipment. His formula, I think, was [00:15:00] 65 a can. And it took the county nine months to process because we were not planning on saying yes. We were not an approved foster family here.

So before we had any resources through the county, it took nine months. For us to have financial support. So we would not have been able to say yes to that placement had we not been able to financially afford it. And we didn't have, we had a village of people surrounding us saying, hey, we'll support you, we'll help, we'll do respite.

I'll watch him for you. I have a nurse who, who actually worked in the NICU that would come for me and help so I could go out with my other kids and be at their games and stuff. But it took a village. It took a lot of support for us to do that. And. If you don't hear these stories and you don't know these stories and you see grandmas and grandpas and aunties and uncles tugging around You know three extra children They need help Like for us, it's not like you don't walk by and just think oh, they've got it figured out.

No, they need support and so we launched our local [00:16:00] program really out of our house at first. It was just taking diaper bags and baby supplies to parents who had said yes to emergency placement. And then we started with school supplies because a lot of the kids were older and backpacks and new clothes and bedding and all the things.

And so that's kind of how our Local programs started and now it's exponentially grown to support vulnerable youth, not just foster placement, but unsheltered kids. Kids who have experienced domestic violence or a single parent that just needs a season of support. 

Jeff Holden: What's the geographic range of Kids that you deal with.

Wendi Cross: Yeah. A lot of Sacramento County kids. So it's all of Sacramento County. We're specifically located in Elk Grove. That's where X Hope Hub is. So a large percentage of the kids we serve and families that we serve are in Elk Grove or South Sacramento. And then we just expanded to Amador County. 

Jeff Holden: So 

Wendi Cross: yeah.

Jeff Holden: Collaboration has to be pretty significant with you. So people know you exist, A, but [00:17:00] so they can support you. And for you to know, some sort of your village, you know, that, that village you spoke of, who are the people you find that you collaborate a lot with in the, in just running the organization? 

Wendi Cross: Yeah.

We work alongside other nonprofits, um, Ticket to Dream, the Regional Alliance, but our main support comes from local churches and businesses, businesses that are like minded, businesses that want to see vulnerable kids empowered in our community. So. We, we do outreaches as well, meaning we bring all of our families to us and build community that way so the kids are now able to build relationships and friendships with other kids just like them.

And we usually involve and partner with local churches for those events. They sponsor those events. They show up with volunteers. And then the school district. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. Mm 

Wendi Cross: hmm. 

Jeff Holden: So you do have a relationship with the foster organizations, I would imagine maybe [00:18:00] CASA in some way, shape, or form, or to some degree?

Wendi Cross: Koinonia, Lilliput, some of those ones are in our alliance. They're in our group of networks of organizations. Powerhouse Ministries is another one we just love and support. 

Jeff Holden: We'll be back with more from Wendy and her incredible story. Right after we hear from the businesses that support the stories we work to share.

I was in the media business for over 35 years and had the great privilege of working with Runyon Saltzman, RSE, Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations. We collaborated on many different campaigns, but their commitment to the nonprofit sector hasn't changed since their founder Gene Runyon started the agency.

Over many years and many campaigns, Runyon Saltzman has been committed to improving lives by tackling California's most challenging issues. Guided by research informed strategies and insightful, creative solutions, RSE develops innovative communications campaigns that raise awareness, and Educate and [00:19:00] reduce stigma in diverse communities throughout our state and beyond.

To learn more about RSE, visit rs e. com. 

Scott Thomas: Hello, this is Scott Thomas with CAP Trust in our Sacramento office. I specialize in working with local nonprofits and associations. Annually, we survey private and public nonprofit organizations across the country to better understand challenges they see in today's environment.

In our more recent survey, we heard concerns about proper board governance, mission aligned investment, and how to implement alternative investments. If you would like a copy of the survey or to discuss your organization, look me up, scottthomasatcaptrust. com. 

Jeff Holden: I'm thrilled to have Western Health Advantage partnering with us as they do so much to support so many non profit agencies in our community.

As a truly local health plan, you'll find individual and family options, employer options, plans for CalPERS and Medicare Advantage, From medical services to pharmacy, [00:20:00] health and wellness support, as well as behavioral health care, Western Health Advantage has a plan that fits what you need. As an employer, for profit or non profit business, individual or family, you can find more at westernhealth.

com. How are you funded? How does the organization get its funding? And you're not small. I mean, we've seen organizations in this chair much, much smaller. Hundreds of thousands. You're over a million dollar. So, um, you know, I think it's really 

Wendi Cross: important for us to understand that, you know, we can't make an impact unless we're a Brad Pitt Foundation, and we start with a million dollars.

But let me tell you, in 2011, our first fundraiser was a lemonade stand, and it was to buy diaper bags. We started small, never despised the small beginnings, but there have been people along the way who've received services who now give 50 bucks a month. They're like, I want to, I want to buy one backpack a [00:21:00] month.

And then we have people that support us monthly in larger ways. And we also fundraise. So we do evening of hope, a big, huge 400 guests came. It was actually last weekend. 

Jeff Holden: Every October you have that event, right? So it's 

Wendi Cross: November 1st, next year. Save the date, but sponsors it's my husband's in construction and he's.

amazing man that walks out generosity. And so a lot of construction companies sponsor that event and they sponsor the tables. And that goes, all that funding goes toward our local program. And then we bring teams on mission that support internationally. And, and again, our church partners that that support us make a big impact.

And then in addition, when people don't give financially, we have volunteers that are incredible and, and they, they do donation drives for us. So any business can do a donation drive any time of year, because our kits go out all year long. Our prom dresses go during holiday, our coats go in winter. So we have.

[00:22:00] These resources that the kids need ongoing. And so that's those end kind donations help us so, so, so, so much. 

Jeff Holden: If I'm not mistaken, you have a facility, a small facility, like 900 square feet in the Elk Grove area. Yes. And we'll talk a little bit more about that in just a second. So there is a somewhat forward facing place for people to pick up these, you know, these items and the stuff that they may need as well as I imagine you're distributing it to different places as well.

Wendi Cross: Yeah. So what's the biggest blessing about having our location? We've been there three years. We've grown 400%. In three years, because we're able now to not just provide relief and resources, we're able to build relationships with these families, and we're able to connect them to community outside of XHOPE, to a local church, to a business.

We, we scholarship some of our kids, we watch them go through college, and their families are impacted by that. And so the relationship aspect of what we're doing has come to life [00:23:00] because of our location. Now we can do that. And so now our families trust us and they're asking, Hey, can you host a budgeting workshop?

Can you do an enrichment class where we learn how to do resumes? Can we do a community connection where we meet other people like us? And so we're starting to be able to implement those. But yeah, our space currently is a community closet, which means we outsource Gently used clothing when kids are placed in emergency care or unsheltered and then we have a closet where they shop for their first day of First day of school clothes all new clothes all new shoes We have a kit room with backpacks and school supplies and diaper bags and baby items and we have a room full of hygiene So we're doing a lot in a little tiny space and we have Completely outgrown it.

It sounds 

Jeff Holden: like it You know, and the good news is you're able to add to it and you would like to see it grow. The sad news is you're able to add to it and would like to see it grow. 

Wendi Cross: Yeah. You 

Jeff Holden: know, it's, it's, [00:24:00] if, if we couldn't, so many times we have the conversation, just work ourselves out of this job. 

Wendi Cross: Yeah.

Jeff Holden: And that would be so great. 

Wendi Cross: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: You know, unfortunately that's not the case. 

Wendi Cross: Right. Which is why the relationship aspect of what we're doing, like we provide relief and resources. But we envision a community where every child has the relief, the resources, and relationships they need to thrive. So what does that look like?

We're sponsoring hundreds of children to join soccer, music lessons, get their driver's license, extracurricular activities and grants, so that they have an opportunity now to connect and meet other families and have a coach overseeing them. And these are things that a lot of vulnerable kids never have the opportunity to do because they're, they're Family can't No exposure.

Yeah. No exposure and they can't afford it. They haven't ever done it. They don't have the fees for it. And so that's probably one of my favorite programs that we're doing out of our local hub. 

Jeff Holden: I can only imagine for some of these students who experience it for the first time and then realize [00:25:00] I'm going to get to continue down this path.

Wendi Cross: Yeah. And even some of the kiddos that are in high school, we can send to leadership conferences. We help them go to senior ball, junior prom, and they come in and they pick their dress and then we partner with a salon next to us that does facials for the girls, does their hair. I mean, they send us these pictures and it just makes you want to, you just want to shout for joy.

I mean, they, it's, it's one child at a time. I mean, I think people always, you know, Want to, to support these big, huge organizations because there's some reputation there, but I'm like, Hey, what's different about us being local is like, we don't just want you to give us money. We want you to like be a part of what we're doing too.

We want to give you the opportunity to serve at our holiday bash or our summer bash and to, to host your own donation drive and put those backpacks together and let us send you pictures of what it's like when these kids come in for the first time and get to pick it. 

Jeff Holden: To really see somebody in your neighborhood that you've impacted 

Wendi Cross: and 

Jeff Holden: changed a life for, which is a [00:26:00] perfect segue to the next question.

Give me a couple of success stories, and Jason is certainly one of them. You know, that's, that's your newest of the half dozen breed. Yes. Or brood, I should say. 

Wendi Cross: Yeah. Well, just with some of the items, you know, the kiddos come in and it could, I mean, we've had, you know, Oftentimes, it will be a single parent that drives up in a car, and you can tell they're living in there.

In the car? Yeah, they live in the car. A little guy just came in recently, and he had looked at the shoe wall, and he's like, I get brand new shoes, you know, and they're shocked that there's tags on them. And we're like, yes, of course. I've never had shoes with tags on them. And he goes, now the kids at school will stop making fun of me for wearing talking shoes.

And we're like, what? What's a talking shoe? And we look down and the flap of the sole is completely off. And so every step he takes 

Jeff Holden: It flaps. It 

Wendi Cross: flaps. And so they call them talking shoes. Can't you afford shoes? Why are you wearing talking shoes? And so he put on his new shoes and like, you know, he's running up and down the hall as fast as he can.

I'm like, whoa, those are the fastest shoes I've ever [00:27:00] seen. You know, and so super fun for us. Another young lady. was awarded our scholarship last year, and she was in and out of foster care as a child, and she's at, she's in Hawaii, going to college. She came home for summer and came and volunteered for three months.

And so she got to see in the office what it's like for kids like her, you know, ten years ago. What they're experiencing and it was so sweet to see her like pour into them and just be so emotionally impacted by that opportunity Yeah, and then we were able to grant her an additional scholarship for her sophomore year that she wasn't expecting but man We're like we have to keep investing.

This is beautiful. And we want to you know, my prayers I can go watch her graduate 

Jeff Holden: Yeah, we want to see her graduate. She's breaking that cycle of poverty for her family. 

Wendi Cross: Exactly And she's, 

Jeff Holden: she seems like the type of individual who's going to be immersed in giving back because she gets it. 

Wendi Cross: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: You know, she understands from whence she came and she can relate.

Wendi Cross: And since these kids are local, there is opportunity for relationship and I [00:28:00] just think we miss that sometimes. Like, we don't want to just be an organization that's handing out things. We do that so that it shows love and we can provide immediate relief, but man, it's, it's taking the time. to build relationships that's really making the biggest impact.

Jeff Holden: Yeah, and more than anything, we want these kids to come back into our community. We don't want them to leave with all that equity that we've built into them and the education and the the affluence. You know, they've grown, they've matured, they now have an income that's something that could come back into this community versus congratulations, you've done so well, you're now a graduate of Hawaii State, whatever that is.

And she stays. Right. No. We wanted to bring it back. 

Wendi Cross: And we're hoping that for And all 

Jeff Holden: of them. 

Wendi Cross: Of course. We're hoping that for Jason. But the, the biggest success for, I think, out of all of it is our oldest son, Nepiu, that we adopted from Ethiopia when he was 12, graduated from Sac State with a social work degree.

And now he's the leadership coordinator at Powerhouse Ministries. And so he's full time [00:29:00] mentoring and overseeing youth kids that have experienced similar trauma to him. And for me, there's nothing more beautiful. That's 

Jeff Holden: That's I'm, I'm, not only am I blown away by that, but the fact that he came through the system, went to the local state university, which is a fabulous university, 

Wendi Cross: and here 

Jeff Holden: he is in the community giving it back.

Wendi Cross: Yeah. And he worked hard. You know, he didn't even speak English at the age of 12. So imagine going through college just a few years later. He worked hard. He worked so hard, but he knew he wanted to help. I mean, his quote is, kids like me. 

Jeff Holden: That's amazing. 

Wendi Cross: Yeah. We actually wrote his story this year. I don't know.

Did I send you a copy of the book, Not Forgotten? 

Jeff Holden: No. Oh, 

Wendi Cross: I just published a book and it's our adoption journey from Neb till now. And it's 

Jeff Holden: We'll put that on the website. Yeah. I'm sure it's available on Amazon with a link. Yeah. We can do that. Oh, thank you. We'll put that in the show notes. Absolutely. Okay.

Wendi Cross: Yeah. Oh, 

Jeff Holden: very cool. 

Wendi Cross: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: How about if money were [00:30:00] no object 

Wendi Cross: and 

Jeff Holden: you're looking at what you've got and you're sitting on this. This wealth of opportunity that's probably strapped 900 square feet. Yeah. What would it look like if money were no object? 

Wendi Cross: Oh, we dream big, so we're trusting someday it will be. But we would love to have an actual facility where people walk into our office and we're able to host our outreach events there.

We'd love a large classroom where we can do our enrichment classes with the families as needed. With a warehouse, so currently our space is so small we have to do storage units and go back and forth seasonally and it's hard because we have very small staff. Not to mention 

Jeff Holden: you have to pay for the storage units.

Wendi Cross: Exactly. So a warehouse where we could keep our clothing and everything available all year round and the kids can shop in the warehouse with some drinks. And then I'd love to have a room, a large room in our facility where we can host visitation for kids who are visiting their bio parents with the [00:31:00] intention to get them back.

Currently there's not. a fun, family friendly place for them to do it. And so, families try to meet at the park and then if it rains, they can't do it. And if they meet at the county office, it's just, it's just no fun. The kids don't want to do it. It's just no fun. And so we would love for our facility to be a place where there's family games and they can cook a meal together in our little kitchen and do, do things families do to prepare for that reunification.

Jeff Holden: I think, Even money as an object, this is going to happen. I can see it in your demeanor, in your face. I can just see it. It's, it's going to happen. 

Wendi Cross: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: And plus you have, you know, six workers in some way, shape, or form that can contribute. 

Wendi Cross: Yeah, yeah. And at some point 

Jeff Holden: they'll have their kids who will be participating in some way, shape, or form.

Back to reality where there is a budget. Is the greatest need at this point in time? 

Wendi Cross: A larger facility for sure. We have some, you know, Construction companies that would do a lot of in kind building for us. So [00:32:00] even a piece of land here, you know, we've done that in Uganda. We've bought three pieces of land in Uganda, but it's a lot different.

So we, a piece of land somewhere that would still be convenient for like South Sac, Elk Grove area, where we could build, maybe it's start with modulars or something. We also have, we could remodel something. We have. partnership with different organizations that would do that in kind for us. So, for sure a facility.

And if it couldn't be something we owned, at least something that would host, again, our, our, our families and then a warehouse. Mm hmm. 

Jeff Holden: That's doable. 

Wendi Cross: Yeah, I hope so. 

Jeff Holden: Somebody's going to be listening and say, well, you know what? We, we might be able to do something with that piece of property. We just had somebody in for another organization where the city donated an acre.

Wendi Cross: Oh, yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Because it, it wasn't going to get built on. Yeah. 

Wendi Cross: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: And they gave them a 25 year lease with a 25 year renewal 

Wendi Cross: at Yeah. We have a lot of support through [00:33:00] different construction companies and HomeAid is another non profit that would love to support us with rent, renovations and support to get these rooms ready that I'm talking about, but we have to either have a signed lease or we have to own property.

Jeff Holden: Okay. So everybody that's listening, 

Wendi Cross: yeah, 

Jeff Holden: this is what needs to happen. And there's more to come like matching funds. Yes, 

Wendi Cross: that would be beautiful. 

Jeff Holden: Excellent. What's the best way to connect with X hope? 

Wendi Cross: And so you can, our website is www. xhopemissions. org and you can click either international and check out what we're doing in Uganda, or you can click local and that will give you information about what we're doing.

And then you can always email me at Wendy, W E N D I.

Jeff Holden: That's wonderful. Nearly every organization has their own unique story. Nobody has sat in this chair with an international application. So I find it so intriguing and to be able to bring it. and integrated the way you did [00:34:00] with a human being. You brought somebody from Uganda, brought them to the United States, adopted that child, and that child is integrated into the program that you're exercising here in the greater Sacramento region.

I don't think I'll see that replicated anytime soon, but it is so impressive what you've done, and you've done it so much through a family, your family, by demonstration. 

Wendi Cross: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Twice. Yes. Yes. Which is, it's beyond my comprehension. I don't know. No, I know. I couldn't have done it. 

Wendi Cross: It 

Jeff Holden: just wouldn't have been something, you know, we would have been able to do in our family.

At least as I see it today. Maybe a little different when you're in the environment and it happens, but compliments to you for, for not only that, but for having it manifest itself into something that you That is for the greater good. And X Hope Missions, I think, is going to continue to grow. I think you'll be out of that 900 square foot building [00:35:00] sooner than later.

And I appreciate you sharing the story. And thank you for what you're doing, you know, on the south end of our town. Elk Grove, South Sacramento and, and working with the kids in so many different ways. We really appreciate it. And your team, you know, by the way, I didn't ask how many people you employ. 

Wendi Cross: Yeah, that's a good question.

I was just going to say we have to, I would never want to take credit for all that has happened. It has been so many incredible volunteers and family that have come alongside us over the years. We joke, we used to like do garage sales and it would take us, you to raise 5, 000. And so, but we currently have Only two full time staff and then we have four part time staff anywhere from 10 hours to 20 that between the four of them and then the rest is done with volunteers.

Well, you are getting a lot done 

Jeff Holden: with a few people. I 

Wendi Cross: know, it's incredible. We do have a village though. Everything we do It has to do with gathering community and allowing as many people who feel compelled to empower vulnerable kids to be a part of what we're doing. I mean, [00:36:00] we ask for that and we want that.

We want your time, your treasure, and your talents, not just your treasure. 

Jeff Holden: I don't know. There's, there's five T's that another organization uses. It's those three. I know one of them is ties, meaning your relationships. Oh, good 

Wendi Cross: one. Yeah. We need some ties. Clearly. That's right. We need some ties with somebody with land or facility.

There you go. 

Jeff Holden: We've solved it. 

Wendi Cross: There we go. Good. 

Jeff Holden: Well, Wendy, thank you so much. Thank you for sharing and congratulations to you and Rick. 

Wendi Cross: Thank you so much. Thank you. 

Jeff Holden: Thank you for listening to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. I hope you enjoyed the episode. If what you heard moved you, please reach out to that organization and do what you can to help.

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