Providing healthy productive living environments
for ready and willing men to become the men God intended them to be
Providing healthy productive living environments
for ready and willing men to become the men God intended them to be
About Discovery House
Our Mission
At Discovery House Iowa, our mission is to provide healthy productive living environments, for ready and willing men, where they can become the men God intended them to be
Our Programs
We offer a Christian-based sober living community, helping men reintegrate back into society.
Our Impact
Since we've opened, we have helped dozens of individuals in our community become the men God intended them to be.
Our Story
The Discovery House of Iowa Story
This is how three people with no knowledge or expertise in housing ended up
forming a non-profit LLC and eventually opening a transitional living house to
serve the Des Moines area.
In the spring of 2018, two young men approached a retired old man with their
dream of opening some type of halfway house. About the only thing they all
had in common was a desire to give back to society and a strong belief in God.
At their first meeting it was unanimously decided that all future decisions would be based on prayer and following the will of God.
In the beginning it was looking easy. A great family friend was going to move out of their house and had agreed to rent it for a very favorable price. It seemed to be just what was needed and was in a good location. As time passed, the start-up date kept getting delayed and finally the city inspection requirements became too great for us to handle.
We had to move on.
Now what? We were within a week of our desired startup and no house. We
had a short prayer meeting and within an hour a friendly real estate agent
called to tell us about a house on University. As we drove up and began to look
inside, we couldn’t believe how perfect it really was. The landlord had told us
where to find the key so while we were waiting for him to arrive, we entered
and looked around. It was even better than we thought. BUT THEN, the devil
started putting doubt in our minds. Who was going to rent to a new LLC that was
going to have a house full of ex-offenders? How are we going to approach him?
What can we tell him to convince him to rent to us?
It was too much for us to figure out, so we stood in the kitchen and asked God
for his help. As we were saying Amen, the front door opened, and the landlord
came in. HE WAS AN OLD FRIEND! "Hey, I want to help in any way possible and I
am not worried about your venture, Go For It!"
Because of this and the tremendous outpouring of donations and support, we
proudly opened the first facility on June 16, 2018, and a few months later the
house next door became available. Again, we took a leap of faith and rented it.
About 9 months later the house next door to house 2 became available from the
same landlord and we were able to add a third house.
COINCIDENCE? NO WAY. IT HAS ALL BEEN AN ANSWER TO MANY PRAYERS BY
MANY PEOPLE. WE THANK THEM ALL FOR THER PRAYERS AND DONATIONS.
John Feucaloro - President
I was sitting in Polk County Jail in April of 2016 and the Lord put it on my heart to start a non-profit Christian Sober House. I was a drug addict for 25 years and had been to rehab 6 times. I was definitely sick and tired of being sick and tired! I went to Rehab one last time and let the good Lord guide my path. I started working at Bridges of Iowa on Christmas Day 2016 as a Tech and I am now a Supervisor. While working there I met two men, Ryan Mullin and Ken Silver. The rest is in "Our Story " on this Website. ALL GLORY TO MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!!
Graham Laird - Vice President
The last time I went to treatment in 2020 I had finally decided that I needed to make some drastic changes to my life. God had already guided me on a journey that led me to want treatment. But I had done treatment before. Done great, got out and went right back. So what was going to be different this time? Discovery House of Iowa. I came here after treatment because I wanted a community of like-minded guys who were going in the same direction as me. I found it here. I eventually moved to house lead and house manager and got invited to sit on the board. Through God's grace and direction I came to Discovery House and through God's direction we will continue to grow this to help as many people stay sober through God as possible.
Emily Harvey - Secretary
On March 31, 2016 by the Grace of God I was freed from my chains of drug addiction. He picked me up and put me in Polk County Jail where I was able to get closer to Him and make connections with the people in the ministry there ... where I went on to Bridges of Iowa and met Johnny (president). We had several conversations about how God has changed our lives and he shared with me a vision that God had given him for a faith-based sober living for men. Listening to him and praying about this, God showed me that I knew someone who could help (Ken Silver) and the two were introduced and I began to watch God move. This ministry is and has been dear to my heart since the beginning. God has given me the heart of a servant and I am honored to be a part of this great ministry.
DJ Bennett - Board Member
June 17 2018 I find myself sitting in Polk County Jail waiting to go to drug court. Around that time heard the Discovery House started. Decided giving my life to Christ and trying the Christian sober-living thing instead of going back to prison where I had spent many years. Once I got far enough in the program I moved into Discovery House and got engaged in church and Christ-centered recovery programs. Once I graduated drug court program I started a family. Learned to keep family centered around Christ. I was invited to be a part of the Board of Discovery House. As of today it was the best decision I have ever made.
Mike Huffman - Board Member
I have been involved with the Discovery House since 2018 when it first opened. This program offers sober-living houses and currently has 3 houses. I'm the house manager of house 2. My responsibities include enforcing house rules and requirements of the house and overseeing the inside and outside of the facility to ensure optimal conditon and provide a clean and safe enviroment for our guests. I own 2 small buisnesses. I have been sober since 2016 thanks to God and Discovery House of Iowa
Testimonial
Michael Byers
I feel I was born into addiction, my mother was a bar owner. I grew up in that scene, between bikers and cowboys you can imagine the things I heard and witnessed, and that lifestyle became normal. My mother married at the time a younger smart engineer, who later became an abusive monster who cooked meth. At the age of 16 his brother got me high for the first time on meth. On and off through my late teens and early adulthood I was a weekend warrior, and at 17 I was married. By the age of 27 I was divorced and had 3 children, and my downward spiral began. Before I knew it ten years later of consistent usage I found myself facing 225 years in prison, with charges ranging from driving while barred, felony eluding, multiple forgery, and ongoing criminal conduct. While in jail I decided to turn to God, I gave everything to him, to the point where I even put my free life on the line and refused to plea out. I needed help, and the Lord knew I needed help too. Well the good Lord came through like he always does and I got treatment. That’s where God put Johnny in my life and I learned about Discovery House of Iowa. I was even on the fence about either moving out of treatment to my own place or Discovery House. The Lord spoke to me and Discovery House it was. I wake up every day and thank God for letting me have Johnny and Graham as positive role models, they have taught me how to get even closer to God, they have helped make fellowship a normal and comfortable part of my life. I know I am a part of a great church, I have been baptized and right along beside me were my two sons getting baptized. First I owe it all to God, but the Discovery House has saved my life and is still a huge part of finding my identity in Christ.
Invest in Discovery House
Invest in the future of Discovery House Iowa by making a donation today. Your support helps us continue our mission and impact more lives.