VIDEO: Illinois Farm Bureau features 2nd Story Ranch

Jimmy O’Connor, a certified alcohol and drug counselor and Executive Director of the Second Story Foundation, describes the mission and philosophy of the organization. The foundation supports individuals in early recovery from severe substance use disorder, homelessness, and unemployment. Their focus is on providing long-term, sustainable recovery through a unique program rooted in agricultural and rural life.
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​Participants, many of whom come from 28-day inpatient programs, are welcomed into a structured farm-based environment where they are given immediate housing, employment, and—most importantly—time to heal without pressure. There are no deadlines or financial stressors. Instead, the program emphasizes patience, hard work, and community values, drawing on the inherent lessons found in farming and animal care—like responsibility, routine, and connection to nature.
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​Jimmy highlights the transformational power of this model, which not only supports sobriety but also builds a durable foundation for life. He believes that the ethics of rural living—helping your neighbor, embracing time, and valuing effort—mirror the values essential for recovery, and that these principles are deeply understood and shared by those in the agricultural community, including partners like the Illinois Farm Bureau and USDA.