Crossroads Community is a nonprofit organization providing behavioral health rehabilitation to residents of the five mid-shore counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The mission of Crossroads Community is to teach skills and access resources that empower individuals with behavioral health needs to recover and live satisfying and productive lives. Crossroads promotes community acceptance through advocacy and community education and envisions a community where people with behavioral health needs recover and are treated with dignity, respect and equality. Our lead instructor began his Eastern Shore teaching career in the early 90’s at Crossroads as a rehabilitation coordinator teaching fine arts, photography, and culinary arts. ​

In 2022 we reconnected with the organization and now provide fine arts programming in Chestertown, Centreville and Cambridge for about 75 adults and 20 teens from Kent, Queen Anne’s, Caroline, Talbot and Dorchester Counties with funding provided by Crossroads Community and a generous MSAC grant.

The A.F. Whitsitt Center is a licensed, CARF Accredited inpatient residential program.

The facility operates 24-hours, seven-days-a-week and providing treatment services to adults ages 18 and older suffering from substance use and co-occurring disorders. We were contacted by the Kent County Health Department in Spring 2023 and encouraged to apply for a Maryland state disparities grant in which we were successful. With these funds we began a 10 week pilot project at the Whitsitt center in September 2023, working with about 80 clients to create a 4’ x 10’ mural of Chesapeake workboats and the Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse. 

Wanting to continue the success of this project, we applied for and received funding from the Hedgelawn Foundation, the Maryland State Arts Council and Kent Cultural Alliance which will support this project through November 2024.

We began working with the Kent County Local Management Board (KCLMB) in July 2023 utilizing a grant through their Youth Spaces programming to initiate arts education workshops at Kent County High School. Over the past year we have created a mural program at Kent County High School focussing on the creation of imagery reflecting the history of the Eastern Shore and local environmental concerns. We plan to hold a minimum of 16 events at the school during the 2023 / 2024 school year.

The Kent County Local Management Board (KCLMB) is a hub for local planning, coordination, and funding strategies to improve outcomes for children, youth, and families. The LMB collaborates with the Children's Cabinet to fulfill state priorities, convene local stakeholders to identify and address local needs and coordinate services to fill gaps and avoid duplication.  

KCLMB also runs the local care team for families seeking support and resources to help their children thrive. 

Our lead teacher has a two decade relationship with Radcliffe Creek School as classroom instructor and after school childcare program director. Radcliffe, a Maryland accredited K/8 501(c)(3) learning institution, was created in 1996 to provide instruction for children with learning differences. Over the years we have partnered on a variety of mural projects with the students. 

At present, with a generous MSAC Artist in Education grant and funding provided by the school, we provide arts education workshops on a weekly basis at RCS throughout the academic year.