ABOUT CROSSROADS

Our Founders

In 2009, Joe Tarasuk founded CrossRoads Freedom Center, a non-profit ministry, with the goal of bringing recovery to men and women caught in the vicious cycle of addiction, hurt, and pain. His vision was born out of his own struggle with drug addiction and incarceration. Joe gave his life to Christ after being arrested for interstate drug trafficking in 1986. Despite receiving a 35 year sentence, by God’s grace, he was released in 18 months.

Joe’s journey didn’t end there however. It wasn’t until he learned to surrender all his guilt and shame to the Lord that he was finally free. From that point on, Joe began to passionately share his testimony of freedom in order to give hope to others. In 2013 he published his book "Against All Odds: A Miracle Journey of Recovery and Success" to share the full story of how God saved him from a life of drugs and chaos into a new life of restoration and peace.

After several years leading Celebrate Recovery groups at churches and in jails, Joe and his wife Maria were finally able to purchase 16 acres in Ijamsville, Maryland to start CrossRoads Freedom Center. The property, formerly a restaurant and inn, has been restored for a new purpose of providing men a safe place to build their recovery, gain work skills, and learn to live in community again. CrossRoads continues its restoration hoping to expand its capacity in order to serve more people in need.

Meet the Team

Joe Tarasuk

Founder & Executive Director

After a life of drugs and drug-dealing, he found the Lord in the back of a police car. Surrendering his life, he answered a call to turn his past into tools to set men free. Today Joe heads up the ministry with his wife Maria, serving our community in the Lord making disciples of men.

Mary Tarasuk

Co-Founder & Chief Operations Officer

Maria oversees all office operations, administration, budgeting, and staff. In addition, Maria maintains the two gardens at CrossRoads, assists with meal preparation and oversees maintenance of the commercial kitchen.

Mat Viana

Program Director & Intake Coordinator

Mat responds to the day-to-day needs of the men, inquiries of prospective clients, facilitates intake processes for new residents, and supports our social media operations. Mat also runs morning devotionals and bible studies daily. Mat has worked at CrossRoads since 2019 and has been instrumental in ensuring the smooth operations of the ministry.

Casey Welty

Program Coordinator

Casey supports the individual, spiritual and emotional growth of the residents through mentoring and accountability. Casey also monitors daily expectations, activities and facilitates our weekly Celebrate Recovery: Step Study Class. In addition, Casey assists with grounds maintenance and repairs. Casey graduated from the CrossRoads 12-month program in December of 2019 and has been on staff ever since.

Bill Mayer

Recovery Coach

Bill supports the individual, spiritual and emotional growth of the residents through mentoring and accountability. In addition, Bill runs one of the weekly recovery classes at CrossRoads and mentors both current and previous residents. Bill has been a team member since 2017.

Greg Ranneberger

Administrative Assistant to Operations

Greg supports CrossRoads in many different ways from helping with drug testing to ordering needed supplies to handling deposits and program fees from the men. He also represents CrossRoads in a local Business Networking Group by making connections and building relationships to further our mission.

There’s nothing more pleasing to the heart than seeing God work in someone’s life. I want to see that every day in the men that are here. I want to see them get a little closer to Jesus.
MAT VIANA
God has a very unique way of transforming our lives. Changing what we used to be, into what he is shaping us to be, to be who he is calling us to be. I am thankful for Joe and CrossRoads for affording me the opportunity to have a part of young men’s lives that God is transforming. Transforming from what the world has shaped men to be and think into what God has called and destined men to be.

WILLIAM MAYER
I got to the point where I did not want to live anymore and didn’t even see myself going to rehab. I got to the point where there was nothing but rehab to get myself well. Even through rehab I was searching for the Lord, asking him what he had for me; I was so lost and so broken. That’s when my heart started to change and I started to feel like “ok, God’s got something for me here.” But I was still struggling, still not free from drugs, and bouncing back and forth through the world. Then I was introduced to Joe and CrossRoads and now I am on staff, running classes, and helping other guys.
CASEY WELTY
It is one of the most beautiful things that you can ever see when you see men come in confused, not having an idea what has happened to them, looking for answers, at the bottom of their life, but God has them right where he wants them. In a place that begins a process of surrender, teaches them, and gives them a foundation of who God is, the character of God, the name of God, and God’s purpose in calling them to a place like CrossRoads. Here the journey is just another pivotal part of a man’s life that God uses to turn around, to change, to renew his mind, to grab hold of his heart, that now he becomes a son of God.
WILLIAM MAYOR
Hope, second chance, God, freedom. It’s all about getting to the freedom part. I feel like the Lord gives us that hope. My battle with the Lord was “my flesh is weak; how can I get to the point where I will never go back?” I was about six months into the program when I felt my strength in the Lord, and I knew I was never going back. It’s a daily thing; finding strength and hope in the Lord and seeing that he has a huge plan for my life and all the guys here.
CASEY WELTY

A Future of Freedom

Providing freedom from addiction and making disciples of Jesus: this is what we do everyday.

We’re constantly praying and dreaming about the future of CrossRoads. Check out our Investor Booklet to read in-depth about the improvements coming to CrossRoads, program overviews, and more. You’ll see where we have been, where God is taking us next, and how we guide men in their journeys of freedom from addiction while making disciples of Jesus.