Our History
In 1996, when Mitchell gained freedom from crack cocaine, God led him back to the community in which he grew up. He and Sandra and their 4 children moved into a home in Linden and by 1999 Mitchell found himself preaching in a tiny building along Cleveland Ave. which was the first C.R.A.C.K. House.
In 2000, Meadowbrook Christian Fellowship (MCF), the Ellison’s home church at that time, purchased the current C.R.A.C.K. House Ministries (CHM) building at 23rd & Cleveland Ave. and helped ready it for occupancy. Soon 12-step meetings, Sunday evening services and Bible Studies were being held there as Mitchell preached while still working full time for Community for New Directions.
As attendance grew, God provided the volunteers and the finances to allow Mitchell to move into full time ministry. When he and Sandra moved to a larger home to accommodate their growing family, their Linden home became the first CHM sober house. Soon after that, Mitchell acquired two more houses, expanding the fledgling recovery program.
The ministry continued to grow, and in 2006 the ministry became independent of MCF as a separate 501(c)(3). The ministry acquired the properties and in 2010, the duplex next to the Cleveland Ave. ministry building was purchased, thus doubling the sober home capacity to 12 men.
The Thursday lunch program was added in 2008 and later expanded to Tuesdays as the volunteer team and food contributions grew.
Currently the CHM staff consists of 1 full-time person, Mitchell Ellison, and 3 part-time persons who are the administrative assistant, sober home director, and resident advisor.
CHM's Mission is to provide a safe haven for addicts who want to live in freedom again. We provide the spiritual foundation for lasting recovery by teaching, mentoring and modeling biblical truth, and we offer a recovery program that includes a sober home, mentoring and job readiness support. We also offer lunch programs and other practical means to impact the community.