Mission
With a commitment to helping runaway, homeless, and other young people in crisis, the organization now known as Crosswinds Youth Services was incorporated in Brevard County in 1974. That year, Crosswinds opened its first program - an emergency children's shelter. Over 50 years later, Crosswinds, a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, has grown to become a leading provider of youth services in the area, offering a wide variety of programs for young people and their families. Crosswinds is accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA) for achieving the highest standards of professional practices for its servcies. Robert E. Lehton Children's Shelter offers emergency shelter 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for children under the age of 18 who have run away, are homeless, are awaiting foster care placement or in respite, or who are experiencing serious family or other crises. The program provides safe, supervised shelter, nutricious meals and snacks, and other basic necessities.