Crete Horse Farm Provides Paid Work for People Rebuilding Their Lives After Addiction Treatment

CRETE, Ill. September 29, 2026 - After completing the first six months of a program designed to reconnect people in early recovery with employment, income and daily structure, The Second Story Foundation is preparing to welcome a second cohort to its First Furrow paid work program at 2nd Story Ranch in Crete.

From March through September, 14 participants worked a combined 336 hours at the 68-acre working horse farm, earning $7,500 in wages. All 14 participants completed the program.

The second First Furrow cohort begins in October and will continue through March 2027, providing paid transitional employment for 20 to 38 people while they build work history, develop practical skills and establish greater stability in recovery.

"We started First Furrow because people were leaving treatment ready to rebuild their lives and needed somewhere to begin," ​ said Jim O’Connor, CADC, founder and executive director of The Second Story Foundation. "Work gives you a reason to get up in the morning. You have somewhere to be, people counting on you and a paycheck you earned at the end of the week. We’ve now seen what that can mean for people in early recovery, and we’re ready to bring in the next group."

First Furrow participants perform real work required to operate and maintain the ranch, including building paddocks, staining and maintaining wood structures, equine care and landscaping. Participants also assisted with disaster cleanup for neighbors in Crete following the August tornados and derecho.

Participants averaged 24 hours of paid work each during the first cohort.

The program was developed in partnership with the Recovery Community Center of Joliet, which provides participant referrals, transportation and Peer Recovery Support Specialist services. It addresses a practical challenge that can emerge after addiction treatment, when people may be trying to maintain recovery while also rebuilding employment, income, transportation, housing and other parts of everyday life.

For O’Connor, that transition has personal significance. His own recovery included participation in a work-based program, an experience that helped shape his belief that meaningful employment should be part of long-term recovery.

That experience eventually led him to establish The Second Story Foundation and begin developing the 2nd Story Ranch Recovery Home & Jobs Program. The planned residential program will combine long-term recovery housing, workforce participation, peer support and daily structure on the Crete property.

First Furrow allows part of that model to operate today.

"People talk a lot about getting someone back on their feet," O’Connor said. "A job is part of how that happens. You start earning money again. You start building a work history. You start proving to yourself that you can be dependable and productive. Those are things people can carry with them long after they leave the ranch."

The Second Story Foundation is seeking $40,000 in private contributions to operate the second First Furrow cohort from October through March 2027. The funding will support participant wages, peer recovery supervision, transportation and fuel, meals and other costs associated with operating the six-month program.

The second cohort is expected to provide between 20 and 38 participants with approximately 912 hours of paid employment and $11,400 in participant wages.

"$40,000 gives us six more months to put people to work," O’Connor said. "We know what the first group accomplished. Now we have an opportunity to give the next group the same chance."

To support the First Furrow Fund or learn more, visit 2ndStoryFoundation.org/donate.

About The Second Story Foundation

The Second Story Foundation helps men in early recovery from severe substance use disorder rebuild their lives with stability, purpose, and community. The organization provides recovery housing, meaningful work, and comprehensive support designed to promote lasting change. Its programs combine structure, employment, and fellowship to restore dignity and independence.

The Foundation operates residential recovery homes in Chicago’s south suburbs and is developing the 68-acre 2nd Story Ranch in Crete, Illinois. The ranch will serve as a residential recovery community where participants live, work, and grow through service, equine care, and skill-based training. The lodge and residences will house up to 14 men and include space for counseling, education, and community events.

The Second Story Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping men build lives of integrity, connection, and hope. Through compassion, structure, and shared purpose, the foundation supports transformation that endures.

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