The Second Story Foundation is raising funds to complete the Second Story Ranch Lodge and Residences, a permanent recovery campus for men rebuilding their lives after severe substance use disorder.

The project is located on a 68-acre ranch in unincorporated south suburban Crete, Illinois. It will include a 7,000-square-foot lodge, a dedicated recovery residence for up to 14 men, and two single-family homes that support on-site leadership and program operations. Together, these buildings form the foundation of a long-term recovery housing program focused on stability, structure, and community.

The lodge will include a fellowship hall, commercial kitchen, group meeting rooms, and flexible space for education, peer support, community gatherings, and equine-assisted therapy. The residence will provide shared rooms in early recovery, with single rooms available as residents transition into employment and greater independence. Programming is paired with on-site work opportunities, medical and behavioral health partnerships, and long-term community integration support.

The ranch is already active as a working horse farm and community service site. It has hosted volunteer days, early programming, and service partnerships that demonstrate the long-term vision for the property.

The total project budget is $4.25 million. The foundation has secured nearly $500,000 in private donations and pledges and received $250,000 from the Will County Opioid Program. This GoFundMe campaign supports the public phase of fundraising to help complete construction, site work, and furnishings.

Your contribution helps build a place where recovery can take root and where long-term stability becomes possible.

Click here to learn more.