Our History
In 2006 founder Randy Brouwer regularly attended AA and Christians in Recovery meetings where he became aware that participants were currently in the process finding a safe environment to stay sober.
These participants expressed that neither their current living situation nor their social network provided the necessary support to continue the path of sobriety.
This resulted in the attendees of AA and Christians in Recovery meetings to become homeless in an effort to remove temptations to use substances.
Randy did not want to see his fellow peers forced into homelessness just to remain sober. Randy conversed with several sober living homes throughout the Midwest to create a model that would be effective in the Holland area, known as BMFL.
Our Mission
Building Men for Life is devoted to serving the men in West Michigan who are struggling with substance use.
We take a peer-led, evidence-based approach to serving our residents.
We believe that those in recovery make the best leaders and support systems for others entering recovery, and have partnered with as many peer resources as possible, among other clinical resources.
Our goal is to provide a safe, clean, and healthy environment free of the influences of alcohol and drugs.
Drug use is the third highest health concern in Ottawa county according to a 2017 needs-assessment of community members and community stakeholders. Addressing the issue of substance abuse is done by taking people out of the hazardous environments they often find themselves in: social influences that promote substance abuse, jail or prison, or experiencing homelessness. With a new social circle established, a living environment free of drug use, and connections to mutual aid groups and outpatient therapy, our residents can enjoy the freedom of living a normal life, while being immersed in a culture of accountability and support.
By keeping up with the latest research and using community-led initiatives, we serve our residents in the most effective way we can, and realize that failure is often on the path toward success. That’s why our residents can stay as long as they want, provided they pay the program fee and follow house rules, and why we often readmit residents who have been in the program before but have left for one reason or another.
Purpose Statement
Our purpose is to glorify God in reflecting his grace to us, to others.
We come alongside men who are struggling with addiction, or are re-entering the community after being incarcerated, living in the mission, or completing a drug rehab program. We provide them safe and sober housing with a family environment to encourage them in their efforts to better their lives.
We believe everyone deserves second chances in life. The men come from all walks of life, and not all of them have been blessed with stable homes and the knowledge of Jesus Christ. We believe, given the right tools, all men can learn to use the gifts God has given them to their fullest potential.
We encourage each man to look outside himself to help a brother in need. We encourage men to serve in our fundraising efforts, become sponsors or mentors to new residents, and volunteer in the local community. Each man has his own gifts to share to build a loving community.