about
About

Our Founders: Mark and and his wife Jan worked as missionaries in Japan from 1973 until 1988. During this time Mark had the privilege of working with his father in the construction of a three story church and parsonage space for a Japanese congregation. This was to be a refuge for many who lost their homes in the great Kobe earth quake. After moving to Nagano prefecture (2000 Winter Olympics)  Mark helped to develop a conference ground in the resort town of Karuizawa and built a custom designed coffee shop for the community  and the campers. The materials used were taken from pre-war resort homes that were being replaced with newer, more efficient structures. Mark’s Japanese friends watched as this crazy American friend of theirs scavenged the old resort cabins for beams, light fixtures, mirrors, windows and other meaningful historic materials.

After settling in Ithaca in 1989 the Chandlers created a home-stay program for international students which spanned over 15 years - serving 41 students from all over the world. Jan continued teaching cooking classes as she did previously in Japan and Mark began the search for a suitable meeting space outside the home.

In 2000, Mark and Jan founded Crossroads Life Center and subsequently The Carriage House Cafe both of which were near collapse and on the national historic registrar. Restoration of Crossroads began first followed by the 150 year old carriage house. The whole process took over 10 years and hundreds of thousands of donated funds along with a competent contractor and the help of over 1500 student volunteers from Cornell to bring the run down buildings back to their original beauty. Although now operating as separate entities, Crossroads Life Center and The Carriage House Cafe share a common purpose: encouraging our local and international community through spaces built for shared experience.

Mark and Jan, together with the board, are continuing their work at Crossroads and as directors are diligently working to expand several new programs and raise funds to pay for the mortgage and monthly expenses of Crossroads.