Crosses For Kids exists to share the love of Jesus by placing handcrafted wooden crosses into the hands of children, inspiring them to grow in faith and know they are deeply loved by God.
Crosses for Kids began with a simple question.
In October 2025, during a Sunday sermon, our pastor challenged the congregation with these words from 1 Timothy 4:14:
“Do not neglect the gift you have…”
As a lifelong woodworker, I immediately thought about the gift God had given me. Looking at a simple wooden cross in our church sanctuary, I felt called to build one with my own hands. That first cross was later placed in the sanctuary, and seeing how it touched people’s hearts inspired me to make more.
After giving crosses to my grandchildren and to the children of coworkers, I saw something unexpected happen. A simple wooden cross opened conversations about faith, hope, and Jesus.
Then, on April 26, 2026, I was baptized, surrounded by my wife, children, grandchildren, family, and friends. It was one of the most meaningful moments of my life and a public declaration of my faith in Jesus Christ. Looking back, I believe God was preparing my heart for something much bigger than I could have imagined.
Just five days later, on the morning of May 1, 2026, while sitting at my kitchen table with a cup of coffee, the vision became clear:
“Don’t just make crosses for the church—make crosses for children who may have never experienced the love of Jesus.”
That morning, Crosses for Kids was born.
What began as one handcrafted cross has grown into a mission to place handcrafted wooden crosses into the hands of children, families, veterans, and others who need a reminder that they are loved by God. We believe that even the smallest gift can plant a seed of faith that lasts a lifetime.
Growing Faith. Changing Lives.
How Crosses For Kids Was EstablishedIt was October of 2025. Our pastor, Bill, was preaching from 1 Timothy 4:6–16. At the end of his sermon, he came back to verse 14, which reads:
“Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.”He asked the church to think about the gift God had given each of us and how we could use that gift to serve others.My immediate thought went to woodworking. Anytime I look at something made of wood, I wonder how it was constructed, what species of wood it is, and who made it. At the back of the sanctuary stood a plain 6-foot-tall cross made from a 4x4 post. I looked at it and thought, “I can make something a little better.” I went home and started working on a cross.I decided to make it 8 feet tall with a 4-foot cross member and design it as a layered cross. My plan was simple: finish the cross, donate it to the church, and let them do whatever they wanted with it.
My wife, Brenda, had another plan.As we were leaving church one Sunday, we stopped to say hello to Pastor Bill. Brenda mentioned that I was building a cross, and he asked me to send him a picture when it was finished. I did, he liked it, and they asked if I would hang it in the sanctuary to replace the existing cross.I was humbled and honored that they liked it enough to want it displayed in the church, where so many people would see and enjoy it. I hung the cross in January of 2026.For Easter, I made a cross for each of our grandchildren. I also made crosses for the children of the people I work with. Everyone really enjoyed receiving them, and something unexpected happened. Those simple gifts started conversations about faith and Jesus. I thought that was really special.
On April 26, 2026, I was baptized. It was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. Brenda, our kids, grandkids, my brother, sister-in-law, and several friends were all there to witness it. It was a day I will never forget.Even after that, I still had this desire in the back of my mind to make another large cross and donate it to the church so they could hang it in the Cypress Coffee Shop. Then it happened.
On May 1, 2026, I was sitting at the breakfast table drinking coffee at about 5:00 in the morning when the idea hit me.
“Don’t make a cross for the church, where people already know about Jesus. Make crosses for kids who don’t know Jesus yet.”The name Crosses For Kids hit me hard, and from that moment on, everything seemed to happen fast.
I realized that if a child comes to know Jesus early in life, that decision can influence every year that follows. If a simple wooden cross can spark a conversation about Jesus or plant a seed of faith, then perhaps God could use it to change a life.By 5:30 that same morning, I had purchased the domain names crossesforkids.org, crossesforkids.com, and crossesforkids.net. When Brenda came downstairs, I told her, “Honey, we’re now the proud owners of three domain names.”
We were off and running.For the next week and a half, I didn’t do anything else with the domain names. I simply thought about what had happened, why it had happened, and what God wanted me to do with it. After praying about it, talking with Brenda, and doing a lot of soul-searching, I finally decided, “Why not?” I have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
On May 16, 2026, I filed the Articles of Incorporation to establish Crosses For Kids as a nonprofit organization.
Over the following week, I assembled a Board of Directors, created the bylaws, obtained an EIN, filed the paperwork for 501(c)(3) status, completed the Chapter 496 registration with the State of Florida, created the Crosses For Kids logo, designed the website homepage, secured email addresses tied to the domain names, hired Sunlux Media & Marketing to help build the website, and began interviewing CPA firms.
By June 15, we had hired a CPA firm, established a bank account and credit card, and I completed 120 handmade crosses that were donated to Fort Myers Community Church for their inaugural Vacation Bible School.
Looking back, it’s amazing how quickly everything came together. What began as a sermon about using the gifts God has given us has become a mission to place crosses into the hands of children, share the love of Jesus, and help plant seeds of faith that will last a lifetime.
I truly believe God opened this door, and I pray that Crosses For Kids honors Him in everything we do.
If, through this ministry, even one child comes to know Jesus Christ as their Savior, every hour spent in the workshop and every cross we’ve made will have been worth it.
Now we are building a mission to share the love of Jesus through children and families everywhere.
