What Cross America does

Cross America, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit, non-denominational organization founded in March 2018 by Terry and Nieta Merrell in Kokomo, Indiana. Its stated mission is to send an aluminum pocket cross and a salvation message card to every household in America, with an addressable universe of approximately 114 million residential homes across roughly 44,000 U.S. zip codes. The organization's core "product" is a small aluminum pocket cross engraved with Romans 10:9 scripture, paired with a card that unfolds into a cross shape carrying a salvation message. Distribution is executed through the U.S. Postal Service's Every Door Direct Mail service, which enables blanket delivery to every residential address in a sponsored zip code without requiring individual address lists. The interactive zip code sponsorship map is built on Leaflet.js with GIS Cloud and Bing Maps for geospatial data; the Soul Farmer podcast is hosted on Buzzsprout.

The organization operates a 23,000-square-foot Cross America Community Center at 840 Daniel Drive, Kokomo, IN, which houses the Cross Assembly Room (volunteer production area), a 410-seat auditorium, a 120-seat event center, three conference rooms, the Doubting Thomas Coffee & Cafe, a professional podcasting studio, a gift shop, and a one-bedroom mission apartment. Operations are volunteer-driven: volunteers assemble approximately 2,700 crosses per day, and the organization has cumulatively shipped more than 5.1 million crosses since inception—up from an initial expectation of 2,000 per week in 2018. Part-time staff cover ministry, cafe, and logistics roles; the leadership team comprises an Executive Director, a Missions Engagement & Logistics Manager, a Social Media Engagement & Marketing Director, and a Cafe Director, with the founders serving on the board.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through donations and ancillary facility-based income. Public donations fund cross mailings at a unit cost of $0.43 per household (covering the cross, envelope, stamp, and salvation packet), while private donors underwrite overhead, facilities, and labor. Zip code sponsorships range from under $20 for small rural zip codes to $15,000–$20,000 for large metropolitan areas. Facility rentals ($150–$175/hour for the auditorium, $100–$125/hour for the event center, donation-requested conference rooms, $100/night mission apartment) and a direct-to-consumer cross sales channel (25 crosses for $7.50 up to 7,500 for $975) provide additional income, alongside the Perpetual Fund endowment program and memorial sponsorships.

Name

Cross America

Legal name

Cross America, Inc.

Website

https://crossamerica.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cross America is a 501(c)3 non-profit that mails aluminum pocket crosses with salvation messages to U.S. households via USPS Every Door Direct Mail, operating a 23,000-square-foot community center with event rentals, a cafe, podcast studio, and volunteer-driven assembly operations in Kokomo, Indiana.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kokomo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. General Donations: 100% of donations go toward buying and sending more crosses. A $0.43 donation covers the entire cost of one aluminum pocket cross, stamp, envelope, and salvation packet. Overhead costs (labor, facilities, utilities) are covered by private donors.
2. Zip Code Sponsorship: Donors can sponsor entire zip codes to cover the cost of sending crosses to all households in that area. The cost varies by zip code size, from under $20 for small rural zip codes to $15,000-$20,000 for large metropolitan areas.
3. Facility Rentals: The 23,000-square-foot facility generates revenue through renting spaces including a 410-seat auditorium ($150-175/hour), 120-seat event center ($100-125/hour), conference rooms (donation suggested), and a one-bedroom mission apartment ($100/night minimum).
4. Cross Sales: Aluminum crosses are sold directly at the Doubting Thomas cafe or shipped. Pricing ranges from $7.50 for 25 crosses to $975 for 7,500 crosses, with shipping additional.
5. Perpetual Fund: Planned giving program where donations are invested to fund operations perpetually. For every $1.58 donated to the Perpetual Fund, one cross can be purchased per year forever.
6. Memorial Sponsorships: Donors can sponsor zip codes in memory of loved ones with personalized stickers that seal every salvation message mailed from sponsored zip codes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cross America is a 501(c)3 non-profit ministry that distributes small aluminum pocket crosses engraved with Romans 10:9, paired with a salvation message card, to every residential household in sponsored U.S. zip codes via USPS Every Door Direct Mail. The ministry operates a 23,000-square-foot Kokomo, Indiana community center where volunteers assemble the mailings daily, and offers facility rentals, a coffee shop, a podcast studio, and the Soul Farmer podcast as supporting offerings. Funding comes primarily from individual donors, zip code sponsors, and a Perpetual Fund endowment program.

Product overview

Cross America is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization operating a single integrated ministry centered on spreading the Gospel to every household in America. The core product is the aluminum pocket cross paired with a salvation message card, distributed through USPS Every Door Direct Mail. Supporting operations include the 23,000-square-foot Cross America Community Center facility offering event spaces (auditorium, event center, conference rooms), Doubting Thomas Coffee & Cafe, a professional podcasting studio, and the Soul Farmer podcast. Revenue-generating programs include zip code sponsorship, event space rental, a gift shop, perpetual fund donations, and memorial sponsorships. The organization is structured as a single unified ministry rather than a platform-with-modules architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aluminum Pocket Cross & Salvation Packet Small aluminum pocket cross engraved with Romans 10:9 on the back, paired with a card that unfolds into the shape of a cross containing the salvation message. Distributed via USPS Every Door Direct Mail to households across America and sold directly at the Doubting Thomas cafe or online.
• Cross America Community Center 23,000-square-foot community center serving as a Great Commission movement hub, event venue, and ministry space, housing the Cross Assembly Room, Doubting Thomas Coffee & Cafe, 410-seat auditorium, 120-seat event center, conference rooms, podcasting studio, and mission apartment.
• Event Space Rental Rental of facility spaces including a 410-seat auditorium ($150–$175/hour), 120-seat event center ($100–$125/hour), three conference rooms (donation suggested), Upper Room gathering space, mission apartment, and podcasting studio for meetings, conferences, concerts, and community gatherings.
• Zip Code Sponsorship Program allowing individuals or organizations to sponsor the cost of sending crosses and salvation packets to all households within a specific U.S. zip code at $0.43 per household, with full-zip-code pricing ranging from under $20 for small rural zip codes to $15,000–$20,000 for large metropolitan areas.
• Podcasting Studio Professional podcasting studio within Cross America Community Center equipped with four microphones, recording equipment, lighting/camera rigging, green room, and backdrop options. Available for reservation with training, 2-hour maximum usage, and donation requested after first use.
• Mission Apartment Fully furnished one-bedroom apartment available for overnight guests affiliated with churches or nonprofit organizations, with a minimum $100/night donation required and a maximum stay of two consecutive nights.
• Cross Assembly Room (Volunteer Program) Open volunteer space where visitors can assemble cross mailings following provided instructions, operating six days a week during business hours as part of Cross America's Great Commission mission. Work is accessible to people of all ages and abilities, including the elderly and those with limited mobility.
• Perpetual Fund Endowment program allowing donors to fund Cross America operations perpetually through planned giving and estate planning; donations are invested and returns are used to purchase crosses annually in perpetuity, with $1.58 funding one cross per year forever.
• Memorial Sponsorship Program honoring deceased loved ones through zip code sponsorship or Perpetual Fund donations, with personalized stickers that seal every salvation message mailed from sponsored zip codes.
• Doubting Thomas Coffee & Cafe Full coffee shop and cafe located inside Cross America Community Center offering craft coffee beverages, homemade food items including pies, cinnamon rolls, soups, sandwiches, and wraps, with stop-in and drive-thru service.
• Soul Farmer Podcast Christian podcast focused on planting seeds for Heaven's Harvest and living out the Great Commission, featuring interviews with guests sharing testimonies and stories of faith. Recorded at the Cross America podcasting studio and distributed via Buzzsprout RSS feed.
• Cross America Gift Shop On-site and online gift shop selling Cross America merchandise, apparel, candles, coffee, tea, jewelry, and other items, with proceeds supporting the cross mailing mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5.1 million+ crosses sent to households across America
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• US Postal ServicecoreTechnology or IntegrationUses Every Door Direct Mail service to reach every household in sponsored zip codes without needing individual addresses, enabling mass distribution at low cost.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ): Inter-denominational Christian ministry focused on evangelism and discipleship, with major donor funding and a network of staff/volunteers. Similar operational model of mobilizing volunteers around a Great Commission mission.
• Focus on the Family: Christian ministry combining broadcast media, publications, and family resources. Shares the evangelical donor base and content-driven engagement model, though focuses on family issues rather than direct household mailings.
• Samaritan's Purse: Faith-based humanitarian nonprofit operating disaster relief, gift catalog, and evangelism programs. Comparable as a large Christian 501(c)3 combining tangible aid distribution with spiritual outreach and donor-funded operations.
• K-LOVE / Air1 Media (Educational Media Foundation): Major Christian media nonprofit with broadcast, digital content, and event outreach. Comparable faith-based donor ecosystem and content-driven audience engagement strategy.
• Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: Large-scale evangelical outreach organization using crusades, media, and mail-based ministry. Shares the Great Commission framing and donor-funded outreach model, but operates at significantly larger national/international scale.

Emerging players

• Voice of the Martyrs: Faith-based nonprofit producing print mailings, magazines, and care packages for persecuted Christians. Comparable mail-driven ministry model and donor base, but with a more international/relief focus.

Direct peers

• Gideons International: Distributes religious materials (Bibles) at scale to households, hotels, and institutions globally. Closest direct peer: similar mission of mass-distributing faith-based physical items to homes using direct distribution channels and donor funding.

Others

• Gloo (formerly Masterworks): Technology platform serving faith-based organizations and churches with engagement, giving, and content tools. Adjacent enabler for ministries like Cross America seeking digital donor engagement infrastructure.
• National Christian Foundation: Donor-advised fund and planned-giving platform for evangelical Christian donors. Comparable as an institutional channel that can route major planned gifts (similar to Cross America's Perpetual Fund) into faith-based ministries.
• National Association of Free Will Baptists / World Orphans: Faith-based nonprofit with donor-sponsorship program model (child/zip-code style giving). Tangentially comparable in using sponsorship units to drive donor engagement and recurring funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/crossamericainc
• Instagraminstagram.com/crossamericainc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/crossamericainc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cross America