Nestled in the heart of the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood in midtown Manhattan is a stately, red-brick colonial building with bold white window frames and a regal pair of emerald green with golden knockers. It’s home to the oldest and largest clubhouse in the world, Fountain House, a nonprofit which had pioneered the “clubhouse” model in 1948 and the idea of “community is therapy.”
Just passed the doors is a bustling society of Fountain House members and staff, who work side-by-side days, nights, and weekends on all seven floors of the clubhouse. These days, the clubhouse is alive with 2,000 members and roughly 200 staff, who engage in daily goings-on revolving around the support of the members — all of whom are living with serious mental illness. In 2022, Fountain House accepted more than 1,000 new members.
Members are ensured access to resources to support their basic needs: food, housing, education, employment, and for many who see it as the most important benefit that keeps them coming back day after day: community and friendships.
It’s at Fountain House, many members have told amNewYork Metro, where they have the space and freedom to own and be accountable for the work they contribute to the clubhouse, while also exploring various, diverse pursuits — be it culinary pursuits, home and gardening projects, wellness and fitness programs, or research to support the education and employment units.
Fountain House currently operates out of two locations in New York City. The main building is located in Hell’s Kitchen on West 47th St. and 9th Ave. Fountain House Bronx, which opened in 2013, is located in Concourse Village on East 149th St. and Walton Ave. The clubhouse even operates a kiosk called the Recharge Station in Times Square on West 45th St. and Broadway.
There are currently plans for a $40 million expansion in The Bronx, which would include a new, five-story clubhouse to serve up to 1,000 members in the Melrose neighborhood, as well as 40 units of affordable housing with a majority reserved for people with serious mental illness.
The clubhouse concept has spread throughout the country to 40 states, and 30 countries around the world. New York City itself has around 14 clubhouses across all five boroughs.
The clubhouse offers its members work responsibilities and ownership over their duties, job readiness skills, long-term employment opportunities around New York City, relationship building, health and wellness programs, and the chance to return or advance their studies through its supported education program, the largest of its kind in the nation. Members also have access to primary and psychiatric care, care management, and community-based services.
While membership is free, Fountain House evaluates every applicant interested in becoming members. Every applicant must be at least 18 years old and have a “primary presenting problem associated with severe and persistent mental illness” through a completed psychiatric attestation form signed by licensed professionals.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams recently announced on March 2 that he would be “significantly scaling clubhouses over the next four years” across all five boroughs as part of his comprehensive mental health plan for New York City — an announcement celebrated widely by the Fountain House community.
In his announcement, the mayor called for investment in clubhouses as a way to connect New Yorkers to services and treatment.
Fountain House currently receives funding from city and state investments — the mayor’s 2024 fiscal year budget includes $2 million for clubhouses —as well as from high-end donors like MacKenzie Scott and grants from groups like Trinity Church Wall Street Philanthropies and Ford Foundation.
Clubhouses have played a huge role in the recovery of more than 5,000 members in New York, as well as more than 60,000 others across the country, said Cyrus Napolitano, a member of Fountain House and co-director of the Clubhouse New York Coalition.
Currently, clubhouses only serve about 5,000 of the city’s 280,000 people living with serious mental illness. With more funding and support, Fountain House and New York’s 14 other clubhouses will be in a better position to scale and expand their services to reach more people in need.
To learn more about the members who make up Fountain House’s community, amNewYork Metro sat down with four New Yorkers to learn about — in their own words — their different journeys: to find their niche and community, to stay involved and busy at the clubhouse, and plan for the future with the support of Fountain House.
Trigger warning: sensitive content about self-harm, suicide, and serious mental health illnesses.
Audrey Levine, Fountain House member for six years
Why did you join Fountain House?
I was at a different clubhouse on Staten Island that lost its funding. When you go to a clubhouse, you know about other clubhouses. I had a friend who was going, and my therapist thought it was a good idea. Once they lost their funding, I called up Fountain House and got an application, and they welcomed me with open arms.
I was diagnosed when I was four with depression, and hated school. I tried to kill myself a few times. There was a point in time where I said, “I can’t even do that right.” I’m also a self harmer. There was a need for me to join some place. I worked; I took care of myself. But there was a point where I said, “I got to stay out of the hospital and take care of me.” Clubhouses seemed to work for me.
What do you do at Fountain House on a day-to-day basis?
When I come in, we do morning meetings, sign up for what you want to do. I do a lot of the water stuff — bring water around the house, clean the water coolers, sanitize them. Anything that’s needed to be done that I’m asked to do, I generally do it. I chill out, talk to somebody about wrestling, and just be around people.
What goals did you set out to accomplish at Fountain House?
To stay out of the hospital — I almost succeeded totally, but not yet. However, I haven’t cut myself in years.
What are your favorite parts about being at Fountain House?
Not getting up at five o’clock in the morning, I’ll tell you that much. That’s when I get up now [to come from Staten Island]. I’m part of colleague training and take colleagues to The Bronx clubhouse. I lead them there and it’s awesome.
I like talking about clubhouse, which is annoying for some people. I like talking about an accreditation I’ve done or where I’m heading.
What are challenges you’ve faced living with a mental health condition?
When I worked at Old Navy — a great organization, by the way — I needed to take mental health days. That was right before the last time I was in the hospital. I had the problem of having to cover up my arms and I felt like I was letting them down. They were great about it; no issues with that. If I went there today, I could get a job again.
What have you learned about New York City’s ongoing mental health crisis?
I travel on three different modes of transportation to get here, so I see a lot. Today, I’m on a bus minding my own business, talking on my phone. This woman started yelling at me for talking on my phone. You could tell she was not well, and she was saying racist things. Then she was across from me on the boat, where she was saying she wanted to jump into the water. There’s a problem here. You see that a lot, especially with the trains I take. It’s sad, because there isn’t enough help. People don’t know about clubhouses. I was lucky I found the clubhouse. But some people are not that lucky.
It’s brought a light on mental illness. Personally, I’m an isolator, so it worked for me in the beginning. People just need help. Putting them in hospitals against their will is not the answer. They need housing, medication; if they need medication. These are all things that can be rectified if people cared. There are empty hospitals on Staten Island. Why can’t that be housing?
My sister is a psych nurse, and my nephew’s a cop, so I see both spectrums. Do they want to arrest people for just sleeping? No. But they’re told they have to. I’ve seen the best in cops, too. I was on by the ferry and this cop went up to this guy and said, “Can I buy you a cup of coffee?” You know, earnest, it was really real. The man walked with him, not afraid. He got his cup of coffee. How hard is it to be nice?
Nicholas Parham, Fountain House member for six months
How did you become a member at Fountain House?
About a month ago, at the Recharge Station. I saw “free coffee, free (phone) charging.” That’s how everything started.
I moved straight over here because of Hurricane Ida hitting Louisiana. They were losing a lot of jobs and everything else. I moved here because there are more jobs, more opportunities, but also I could do more in my life. I didn’t know a lot of people at the time when I moved to New York City. But I met Melanie (Foster) and then I met another member, and then I met Nancy (Young). They invited me to a whole bunch of places and they treated me like family.
Why did you join Fountain House?
They helped me find that source of peace. They’re a peaceful environment. I feel very important, like I’m not invisible, not a ghost. They be there to help me out. They always ask me every time, “How you doing?” That’s the one thing I need right now. I need a very big, good support system.
What do you do at Fountain House on a day-to-day basis?
I’m just trying to be supportive and talk to people every day. I go in (to the recharge station) for about several hours and stay there and most everyone is cool, nice. They all mind their own business, and they all do what they gotta do and then leave.
What goals did you set out to accomplish at Fountain House?
Trying to get me a real job in medical and homeland security, and that’s what I applied for (at job corps). I applied for the police exam, but I’ve worn too much uniform back in the day — I’m tired as hell. People don’t understand. It takes a lot of patience, a lot of guidance, a lot of maturity and also you got to be willing to sacrifice everything you put on the table. I sacrificed a lot over my years.
What has been your experience living in the shelters?
I called the homeless shelter, so I went straight to Manhattan on 30th Avenue. I met a whole bunch of Spanish dudes in that shelter. Most of them was immigrants, and most was speaking Spanish. Four days later, I got switched all the way to Brooklyn. I’ve been there since September 28, and still waiting for permanent housing. (Update: Parham moved into his apartment in the Fordham Heights neighborhood in The Bronx in late March).
What are challenges you’ve faced living with a mental health condition?
It really doesn’t get any easier every day. It takes a lot from me sometimes. Sometimes I go to a bar, and I need to be alone. But the one thing that kept me kept me going mostly was my uncle who was my father figure to me. When I was cutting up when I was younger, he kept an eye on me. The one thing I need is a support system. It takes time.
What have you learned about New York City’s ongoing mental health crisis?
Men, women, no matter if they’re homeless, they should be treated with proper respect. I’ve seen one woman, she screams everyday, I saw her one day and she was sleeping on the concrete. It was very sad. I really wanted to help her, but there was nothing I could do.
I respect policing, but some of the officers do and some officers don’t care. But instead of using a gun, try to defuse a situation and calm them down. Violence doesn’t solve anything. Just sit down and talk to them and understand them, see what they’re going through.
People really want to risk it all and just kill themselves. It’s not worth it. There’s so much to look forward to, so much to be proud of, and so much that you could be doing with your life.
Karen Kolatka, Fountain House member for four years
What was your environment like before you joined Fountain House?
I was born in Queens — Astoria. I’ve lived in a lot of different places in my life. I’ve lived on Central Park West, even. I’ve had good and bad places. I was homeless for a year and a half. I know and understand what it’s like to be homeless. It’s very dangerous on the street. It’s still a little hard to talk about, but I realize how easy it is to end up homeless, and how hard it is to crawl out of the hole again, into a place to live that you can call home. It’s a whole process in order to get out of being homeless — it usually doesn’t happen overnight.
I had to be rescued one time from a shelter where there was a lot of violence going on. It doesn’t even have anything to do with color. Shelters need more security and less violence. I don’t know how that can be improved.
Why did you join Fountain House?
Everybody I knew used to always go to Fountain House. I had thought about joining a very long time ago. At the the time, I wanted to go back to college, because I only had an associate’s degree in art and advertising design. The computer had totally eliminated my job as a freelance mechanical artist. I went back to school at BMCC (Borough of Manhattan Community College), and when I graduated, I went to Hunter (College). I graduated with a degree in English Lit. I took several psychology courses in case I wanted to be a peer specialist.
After I graduated from Hunter, I thought, “Well, how am I gonna get a job because I’m not a spring chicken anymore.” I thought it was time that I should join Fountain House. I had heard wonderful things about it from several people who were members and friends of mine. Some people are still around, some people have passed (away). I knew people that went every day, because they love Fountain House that much. The restriction about age, which was only a little while was eliminated, so I was able to join at age 64.
When I joined Fountain House, a lot of doors opened up for me. It was a really good, healthy place to go to every day to socialize with people and to work on any problems that I had. I could have a general practitioner, a social worker, or a caseworker help me with any daily routine problem that I had. They have job counselors and I was able to get a job at the (Recharge Station) kiosk about a year ago.
What do you do at Fountain House on a day-to-day basis?
I worked at the (Recharge Station) kiosk in Times Square for six months. I enjoyed listening to the stories of people’s lives and helping them have a nice, hot cup of coffee. Some of them were tragic stories. Some people were resistant to help, but other people were receptive. I learned how to be more receptive. I, and the other members of the kiosk, tried to help them as best as we could, but we had Fountain House to help them.
I come from Wakefield, Bronx, which is almost by Westchester. Today, I worked at my job: 7 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. in Midtown. Then I came over (to Fountain House) for lunch at 12. Then I went to my wellness unit. I have a lot more than a few friends in wellness. I’ll do some work in wellness, whether it’s helping make healthy snacks to put on the cart to sell to the members, or do some reach-out calls to talk to people to see how they’re doing.
When I come in, I usually stay at least a few hours; there’s times when I have been here from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fountain House does have a weekend and evening program. They have different kinds of activities. Once in a while, we’ll go to a park, a museum. Once a year we do a walk or run — that’s a big event. We also do a few things hybrid on the computer.
What goals did you set out to accomplish here at Fountain House?
I just wanted to be more active. The gym helped with exercise — I love the treadmill. I wanted to have a job and a fuller resume. I also wanted to make a lot of new friends — and I was able to do that. I just want to work part-time as long as I can. The big dream is to live to 100. But I know I won’t be working till I’m 100.
I’ve made an incredible amount of friends since I’ve been here at Fountain House. I even have friends that I can see on the computer. There was a while, at least a year, that we were all home, and we had to connect through the computer. But I think the thing that helped me most is that it got me out of the house to be with people.
What are your favorite parts about being at Fountain House?
It’s always been wellness, because it’s very important to take care of our body and our mind. We make healthy snacks that we sell to the members. We have a wellness scholarship; I was able to get an exercise bike. Once in a while, we have healthy cooking classes. We’ve covered different subjects with groups that have to do with fitness, body, and mind. We did a lot of research and work on COVID, and it really helped me because I have had COVID two times in the last three years.
What have you learned about the city’s ongoing mental health crisis?
It’s gotten a lot worse. Mental illness is rampant in America, especially in New York City. There needs to be more cheap housing, more social workers that are paid better, resources for people that are homeless, and ways to help the mentally ill.
It made me feel bad that I couldn’t help someone that was in need. But now, I think there’s more resources this year than there even were last year. It’s being realized now how important clubhouses like Fountain House are, and how important places like the kiosk in Times Square are.
Clubhouses helped. It’s human. It’s not snotty or uppity. They’re one of the ways that people can better their condition, be able to have a place to go, maybe go through the process of starting to have a place to live — even if it’s a modest studio, and even a part-time job. It’s a comfortable place to go to where you can make friends easily. I’m very shy. I usually don’t make friends that easily, but I’ve been able to make friends here.
Stephanie Freader, Fountain House member for nine years
What was your environment like before you joined Fountain House?
When I was 18 and homeless, I could have used mental health housing. But I, unfortunately, had to go through the shelter in Newark. I was just lost at the time. I was just trying to find where to go, what to do. I was independent; I wasn’t living at home. I bounced around a lot for a little bit.
I was hospitalized in 2014 because of the program that I was in. I had multiple psychiatrists there and they didn’t really listen to me. I was just seen as trying to fight them on my recovery.
When I first found Fountain House, I was actually in a PROS (Personalized Recovery Oriented Services) program for people that come out of the hospital. I just knew that I had a mental illness and I was suffering from it. Some family members have worked in the field, so they knew about the place that I was in and I started going there, but I quickly found that it was not for me. But unfortunately, those are the type of programs that were available at the time.
If you have a mental illness, it’s a stigma that the only way to help you focus is to keep you in a group setting where you’re learning the same material every couple of weeks. They expect you to be there on time and to communicate with certain people. But for somebody like myself, who is highly motivated and already is functioning and task-oriented and on time, it did not appeal to me. It made my mental health worse, and I felt stuck. The only thing I felt connected to were the art groups. That’s where I found Fountain House, because the art director from that program said there’s this program, Fountain House, in Manhattan.
Why did you decide to join Fountain House?
When I first came to Fountain House, I was so tired of dealing with groups and being around too much “mental health.” I just wanted to move past all that and work and go to school and work on my goal.
I went to Fountain House and they said, “It’s whatever you want to do.” Every individual gets to pick what they’re working on. They don’t get put into a box. Even if you get tired of something, you can change what you’re working on. I went from people patronizing me and talking down to me and just not seeing me as being able to do something higher than what they feel I’m capable of.
Two weeks into Fountain House, I got a job.
What do you do at Fountain House on a day-to-day basis?
There was a time that I was coming in every single day, seven days a week. I would work evening weekend programming. I would be in from noon all the way until five or sometimes nine o’clock at night. After COVID, I decided to put up some boundaries and now I only come in maybe once or twice (a week). But I’m always working on school or working for my apartment.
For over a year, I had a job and I was there every single day. I picked up as many shifts as I wanted. I’m a workaholic, so as you would expect that only worked up until a certain point and then I’m burned out. I came back to Fountain House and I was stuck. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know where to go. A lot of opportunity is good, but too much for somebody who overthinks could be a bit overwhelming, so I didn’t know where to start. So I just started archiving for the communications unit.
It was somewhat like work, but with the ability of me to not come in if I get overwhelmed and come back another day. I did that for a couple of months. I put in the work because somebody else is counting on me and that’s important to me.
I’ve done colleague training through the learning exchange at Fountain House, with different clubhouses across the world. I’ve worked with people from Sweden, Norway, Canada. We train them on conference calls to help people with mental illnesses.
What goals did you set out to accomplish here at Fountain House?
I’ve always wanted to go back to school; it’s not something that is part of my family. I always wanted to get my own house. I didn’t want to live up to generational behaviors of my family, so I was trying to prove to myself that I could break out of that terrible behavior of what I had been accustomed to.
What are the challenges you’ve faced living with a mental health condition?
Because I have mental illness, they automatically assume that I need kitty wheels. That bugs me.
What have you learned about the city’s ongoing mental health crisis?
What I haven’t seen this year with Fountain House is the state working with the clubhouse to bring in people from the jail and give them an opportunity to prove that they deserve a better life.
Now with mental health on the subway, it really affected me when I saw a news report about how they wanted to just put them in hospitals or shelters. That’s not helping anybody. Speaking from experience, someone who was homeless, you cannot make somebody stay in the shelter. It doesn’t help, it makes your mental health worse. I’ve always thought that more affordable housing is better than more shelters.
I think that in order for somebody to work through their mental health, they have to make the decisions themselves. Being forced to sit in hospital rooms or programs that have a set curriculum on what to do does not work with the individual. It’s a group setting, which I think is absolutely absurd, because nobody has the same mental health problems. Half of those people, if not more, are not paying attention in those groups.
I think more clubhouses and more money for clubhouses is better. You can make all the clubhouses in New York City, you can turn every single mental health program into a clubhouse, but you have the funding to back it up, that allows the staff to engage the members. I think that acknowledging that someone is a human being and has their own voice is important.
The healthiest thing that had ever come out for me was the clubhouse model — to get out of the stigma of mental health and to start working on myself, to give myself time to figure out what I want to do. I think that time and patience and a healthy environment is what’s going to get people to get better.
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