We Need More Space!
Imagine with me an old, run-down row home with peeling paint, mismatched trim, shutters hanging loose, and a roof missing shingles. If you’ve driven through our neighborhood in Chester, chances are you’ve seen this scene more than once.
We see it every day. The house looks forgotten, like no one has cared for it in a very long time.
Now imagine a man with his head hung low, walking these streets, tired and hungry. He’s looking for a place to spend the night. And more than that, he’s looking for a new opportunity having exhausted every option after another failed attempt to rebuild his life.
But what if neither one is beyond restoration?
At Greenhouse Recovery, we believe transformation is possible — for both.
Because when a house is restored, it can become a home. And when a life is restored through Jesus, it becomes something even greater: a story of redemption, forever.
That’s why I’m excited to share with you that we are adding a fifth house to our Greenhouse Recovery program! We are committed to housing men who might never otherwise be exposed to the Gospel — men who are often overlooked, written off, or forgotten.
But to truly welcome them in — to offer not just shelter, but stability, dignity, and hope — home construction is often a necessary part of the process.
Why add a new house?
It’s this simple: we need more space.
Last year, 114 men came through our program. Our 35 beds are consistently full. Every single day, we receive between six and ten calls from men who are ready for a chance at recovery.
Our waitlist is always growing, often with six to ten men waiting for an opening. And the calls don’t stop there. We hear from women seeking help as well, longing for the same kind of transformation we’ve seen take place in our men’s homes.
The need is overwhelming and the opportunity is right in front of us.
And so, by God’s goodness and grace, we are expanding to reach more people!
This new home represents more than additional square footage, it represents more lives reached, more stories rewritten, and more hope restored. But before it can serve as a place of healing, it needs to be rebuilt.
The renovations are significant.
We are planning two new bathrooms, new HVAC systems to properly heat and cool the expanded space, roof repairs, concrete work, and shed restoration. Inside, we are creating six bedrooms, installing two sets washers and dryers, two refrigerators, and furnishing the home with new beds, mattresses, and appliances.
This is what I call a total transformation!
But the heart of this is not a Fixer Upper renovation, it’s about making sure that the men we serve have a safe place to live. It’s about making sure they are within a few blocks of our church and can walk to our services, recovery meetings, and community events.
It is a model we deeply believe in — a model that fosters accountability, belonging, and growth.
It’s critical to us to ensure our homes are clean, welcoming, and well-maintained spaces which communicates to our men that they matter. We believe excellence is not optional, but is essential, and greatly honors God.
Gain vs Growth
There are many recovery homes in Delaware County providing sober living spaces, and many do good work. However, we’ve seen firsthand how the for-profit model can sometimes blur lines and create conflicts of interest. When profit becomes a driver, the focus can shift away from long-term transformation.
At Greenhouse, we are committed to something different. Our goal is not gain but growth. Growth in the form of strengthening men’s character, community, and faith in Jesus.
And did you know that we are state-licensed, and distinguished as only one of three organizations with a county contract to provide recovery housing at this level?
We hold ourselves to a high standard because we serve God above all. We are accountable to Him alone.
“I just wanted to say ‘thank you’”
Now, I want to tell you about a call I received a few days ago from a former resident — I’ll call him Greg.
He had been in the program for about five months before deciding to leave early to get his own apartment. Our advice to Greg was just to wait a few more months, but we’re not here to force anything on anyone, so we let him go on his way.
When he called me the other day, the first thing he said was, “I didn’t listen to your advice. I left too early. I didn’t value everything at the time.”
Getting a call like this is rare and it really hit me.
Greg said, “I’m so grateful you exposed me to God’s Word. There’s nothing like this in any other recovery house. What you’re doing is unique. I know you guys love and care about me. I’m struggling… but I just wanted to say thank you.”
I immediately thought of when Jesus healed the ten lepers and only one came back to thank Him. It reminds me that transformation is real. Planted seeds take root, even if it’s not always immediately obvious.
That’s why we do what we do, and work toward transformation for spaces, and most importantly, for people.
This work is only possible because of people who believe in it — volunteers, donors, and partners who are investing in the next generation and choosing to love people through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We’re so thankful for you.
Again, as we step into this next season, the mission remains the same: to see lives transformed — completely, deeply, and permanently.
HOW YOU CAN PRAY
As we continue to navigate the near-total renovation process in our fifth sober living home space:
Pray for resources and partners who believe in this work.
Pray that God would provide in all the details, from permits to personnel.
Pray for the future residents we’re preparing space for, that their hearts would fully turn over to Jesus.
Pray for healing in each resident seeking lasting sobriety, that God would mend brokenness of every kind.
Pray for our recovery staff as their responsibilities expand to serve our growing Recovery programs!