Through a generous donation from the Larson Financial Foundation, Restoration recently completed construction on a new pole barn for their sawmill.

Established in 2016, Restoration Men’s Residential Program is a one-year discipleship ministry located in Lafayette, IN. Their mission is to help men escape the crisis of addiction by reaching a place of stability and productivity through a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ. Restoration believes that each individual’s life is valuable and of great worth. They seek to effect lasting change through a Christ-centered approach for men seeking solutions. There are four key components of their program: counseling, group classes and individual study, church involvement, and work-study.

restoration (noun) /restəˈrāSH(ə)n/: the action of returning something to its former condition; the act of renewal through improvement 

In recent years, they launched two social enterprises to help grow and sustain their mission: Restoration Nursery (a tree farm), and Restoration Sawmill and Hardwoods. These businesses help finance their operations and will help fund the future construction of more housing on the property.  

“One of the ways we’re training men to love God and love others is through hard work. We want to get men to a place of long-term stability. Addiction is a lifestyle of consuming, and we want to teach them how to be producers, rather than consumers.”

Greg Wetterlin, Pastor, and Director of Restoration Men’s Ministries

The original sawmill facility, however, only had a capacity of roughly 800 square feet for wood storage. With that limited space, they were not able to keep enough in stock to meet their customers’ diverse needs. And while they were able to cut and kiln dry around 6,000 board feet of wood per month, their storage capacity restricted them to only 9,000 board feet at any one time. They estimated if they had a adequate room, they could serve and support even more program participants.

In partnership with Restoration, the Larson Financial Foundation is excited to announce that construction on their new pole barn was recently completed. This increases their storage capacity and provides a larger space where residents can work productively and safely. This investment sets Restoration up for long-term financial sustainability and empowers them to expand their program to help even more men at once.

Check out the before, during, and after photos!

Before:

During Construction:

After:

Restoration wants men of all backgrounds and stages of life to have the opportunity to receive the help they need, without putting a heavy financial burden on their families and loved ones. The Larson Foundation is proud to come alongside them to partner with them in their endeavors.

And if you’ve been looking for some custom woodworking, a new live edge table, or one-of-a-kind piece of furniture, make sure to check out Restoration Sawmill and Hardwoods.