Mercer County House of Hope Logo

House of Hope is a faith-based recovery program for those struggling with addiction in Mercer County.

Our mission is to offer Jesus-centered hope for people with addictions by providing an intentional pathway to long-term, whole-life transformation.


Women's House

4874 Mud Pike Road, Celina, OH 45822

Men's House

4864 Mud Pike Road, Celina, OH 45822


Our Core Values

Spiritual Transformation
Life Long Recovery
Accountability

Love & Compassion

Our Support Programs

  • AA & NA Organizations
  • Local Churches
  • Brianna's Hope
  • Counselors at Foundations Behavioral Services,
    Coleman's Professional Services,
    Restoration Counseling & Other Independent Counselors
  • The Residents at the House of Hope

We have two recovery houses available to the Mercer County residents.

The residents sign an agreement that they will participate in our program for a minimum of 8 months and a maximum of 18 months. There is a six-bed women's house and a six-bed men's house.

The House of Hope is a faith-based program consisting of 5 Phases. The residents move through each Phase by being compliant with the guidelines and growing through the program.

Each Phase has different requirements and different privileges. Some of these include: getting a job, planning a budget, paying off court and attorney fees, opening up a savings account, setting up appointments and developing a workable exit plan.


Key Elements of the Program

  • Attend 3 AA or NA Meetings a Week
  • Attend Brianna's Hope or Celebrate Recovery Meeting
  • Attend 1 Bible Study a Week
  • Attend Church (of their choice) Once a Week
  • Participate in HOH Activities, Dinner, Chores & Meetings
  • Participate in Random Drug Screenings
  • Find a Job (usually after the first 30 days)
  • Open Up a Savings Account
  • In the 3rd Phase, They Will Participate in a Project to Give Back to the Community.
  • Pass Time

Many of our residents are facing:

  • Confusion, Fear and Shame
  • Not Knowing How to Live Clean & Sober
  • Having No Physical Support Group to Encourage & to Walk Them Through Their Recovery Journey
  • Not Having Basic Needs to Live Independently
  • Never Having Had an Opportunity to Know Jesus Christ

My name is Crystal, I am 36. I started to experiment with drugs at 16.

Crime was always my real high not drugs. Before I turned 18 I had done 6 yrs on and off in JDC group homes and foster care.

After I was released from prison at 20, I had a daughter then a son. My mind was spiraling. I ended up finding heroin to get me feeling normal. From 24 years till 33 yrs, I was trapped under the heroin spell.

Prostitution, stealing, lying, manipulation, I was a lost soul. I wanted better so I traded a drug for a drug. I learned how to cook Meth and I dedicated my time, jail and freedom for this drug. If you believe I lost everything on heroin, I was surely surprised that there was more to lose on Meth. Paranoia kept me in fear. I've seen the devil at his best and I helped him whenever I could.

December 31 of 2018, I was arrested. Wow, what a relief. I was truly angry but I knew something was changing. In my dark cell I cried so angrily at God. Every word I yelled I had full trust in God because when I told Him, "If your so great then here I will give you me." "Let''s see how great you are".

Boom, silence and I slept for days and woke up changed. God showed me and still shows me. House of Hope was waiting for me upon my release. The House of Hope staff loved me unconditionally. They have tools to transform even a soul like me.

I'm forever blessed by the House of Hope. Most of all by Sandy and Krista. They never gave up on me and never will.

I am 3 months clean today. I've completed the program and stayed a few extra months. I am now living on my own, working and I have all three of my children. "God is Good"


How do I apply for the House of Hope?

Print the application, fill it out and send it to the House of Hope office:

4874 Mud Pike Road
Celina, OH 45822

You can also call the Mercer County Sheriff Department, your local police department, or if incarcerated, ask the corrections officer for an application. They will scan and send it to the House of Hope office.


Residents who complete the program leave with:

  • A Church Family
  • Several Sober Support Groups
  • Re-Connection with Family Members
  • A Full-Time Job
  • Beginning To Get Their Driver's License Back
  • In the Process or Have Their Children Back
  • Ability to Live on Their Own
  • Money in Their Savings Account
  • In the Process of Paying off Their Fines
  • Knowledge That They Can Live a Full/Joyful Life Being Sober
  • Having Had the Opportunity to Meet and Trust Jesus Christ

We would like to thank all who have stood and continue to stand behind the House of Hope and their mission.

Thank you to the county commissioners who joined our cause and continue to lease us their house and grounds that our facilities stand on. Thank you to all the other county employees and their departments who work side by side, to all the clergy, churches and community members who continue to pray for our residents, the businesses that supply goods and services, the civic groups, all our volunteers and the many that so generously donate. As always, God's blessings on the St. John Builders for construction of the Men's House.

We continue to help individuals in overcoming their addictions. We do not believe that the House of Hope is the answer to the problem, but we do believe that the House of Hope is a key factor in helping to make huge life change for people who need to win their battle against drugs and alcohol.

The story of the House of Hope has changed for the better. Our daily operating practices have matured with experience (which we did not have in the beginning). The House of Hope now employs a full time Executive Director and a live in House Manager at each of the Women's and Men's Houses. These are hands-on positions and paid minimal salaries for their outpouring of support and the work they perform.

Like any growing organization, we have evolved, we have gone from an infancy organization of all volunteers to a more mature, structured and successful organization. Successful growth costs money. We are a faith-based non-profit program and we run solely on donations, from the community, for our ministry.

We will be reaching out to you throughout the year to help us continue our ministry. Last, though most importantly, we thank God for guiding us from where we began to what we have become.
    Executive Director: Sandy Huckemeyer
    Board President: Bruce Swonger
    Vice President: Mike Hausfield
    Treasurer: Luke VanTilburg
    Secretary: Nancy Wolters
    Board Members: Gary Tekamp, Fred Wiswell, Sue Buxton, Bobbi Stoner, Tonya Huber, Molli Schleucher, Pastor Mick Whistler, Claudia Coe, Mike Hausfeld & Jenny Snider

Want to volunteer?

Volunteers are a very important part of our programming at the House of Hope. The residents contact them for rides to and from their required activities. Volunteers are a 1arge part of making this program work for the residents.

We are blessed to have them! We are always looking for good people to help out.