Fundraiser Gala

Interview with Rosemary Quinn, Board Chair of B'More Clubhouse

1. What goes into planning an event like this?  A lot which is why we have a fundraising committee consisting if both board members and non-board members.  The most critical task is selling tickets since great attendance is key. In addition to ticket sales, the other sources of event revenue are corporate and individual sponsors  and the live and silent auction.   This year we are fortunate that Brown Advisory is our key sponsor and we also have two other corporate sponsors, all through the efforts of Henry Jenkins and his brother Courtenay Jenkins.  Next is soliciting donors for the silent auction.   Most important, the event itself must be fun so that attendees want to return in future years  and bring their friends.   Working with the owners of La Cuchara has been critical and with their help we are enhancing the food offerings this year while staying within  our budget. 

   
   
   

2. What are the goals for this year’s fundraiser? $75,000 after all expenses is our goal for this event. 

3. Are there any unique planning challenges?  Obtaining generous sponsors is key although I’m not sure I can say it is a unique challenge since that is needed by most fundraising events.  Fortunately, Henry and his brother Courtenay, as mentioned above obtained our corporate sponsors.   

4. What’s your favorite silent auction item so far?  Actually I have two.   The Natalie Dvorak mystery series of books and the private wine tasting  for a party of 6-8 people that I know Pinehurst Wine Shoppe will be donating.   

   
   
   

5. Why are we having it at La Cuchara again this year? First, many of last year’s guests provided a  lot of positive feedback about the venue. Second, the location is convenient for many friends and donors who attend our events and it offers free parking.  Third, the owners of La Cuchara provided last year and continue to provide guidance on our event planning since they know what can be successful. Also, they have assisted us in obtaining wine sponsors which will help reduce our costs for the event.  Last but not least, the owners and staff at La Cuchara are extremely easy and friendly to work with; they are true partners of the Clubhouse.  

6. How can people help?   Selling tickets. Also, if anyone has a relationship with a business which  may donate a service or a good that could be included in the Silent Auction. 

7. How much are tickets for the event? $125 per person

Details of the Event

October 24th

6-9 PM

La Cuchara

3600 Clipper Mill Rd

Artscape 2024

By: Mariana Torres and Ben Arrowood 

Artscape is one of the biggest arts festivals in the country and this year B’More Clubhouse had the honor of tabling in their new “Arts and Wellness” section which was sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. We were located in the Brown Center on MICA's campus and we were there during the entire three day festival.

The centerpiece of our table was what we have coined as a “collaboradoodle” which began as just a blank canvas with the prompt, “What does mental health look like to you?” By the end of the weekend we had a full canvas with many heart warming pictures and phrases included by people in the community.

While people added to the collaboradoodle, different volunteers rotated through the table to share information about B’More Clubhouse and invite people to participate in the Plinko game we brought along with us. We managed to pick up a potential tabling opportunity at Goucher College, which is where Mariana graduated from. We also received contact information for a woman with Baltimore County Public Schools that could potentially add to our young adult roster by sending some high school graduates our way.

Ultimately, even with the rain and some of the challenges of the weekend, we had a great time and made great connections that can help to further the goals of B’More Clubhouse.

Employment Spotlight: Q&A with Cierra

This July, Cierra Hill started her first ever job at Copper Kitchen, a Transitional Employment partner of B'More Clubhouse. We asked Cierra some questions about working and her passion for cooking for the August newsletter and here's what she had to say:

BMC: How do you like your job so far?

Cierra: I love it the people there are so kind and I’m learning so much. I feel like a real employee and it’s the perfect first job for me.

BMC: Does Copper Kitchen like your work?

Cierra: I believe Copper Kitchen finds that I’m very useful there, and is a quick learner. I hope they know how appreciative I am for their support.

BMC: Where did you learn your cooking skills?

Cierra: Well I learned from B’More Clubhouse of course. I learned to cook food properly and commit to a meal through recipes. I learned safety skills and how to prepare ingredients.

BMC: What kinds of tasks do you work on at Copper Kitchen?

Cierra: I’m a prep chef at Copper Kitchen, and I prepare meals and gather ingredients for events. I also sometimes wash dishes when the business isn’t busy.

BMC: What are your future goals after your TE

Cierra: My future goals are to find a culinary job that finds my skills useful and I can work long term in the future. Also I want to cook my own meals at home that I learned at this TE job.

BMC: What is your favorite dish you have helped to prepare?

Cierra: So far my favorite meal has been making pizza, like the sauce and vegetables to put on the pizza. Soon I hope to make new meals and prepare foods that’ll teach me new skills.

Review of Standard #28

Standard 28. The Clubhouse provides assistance designed to help members improve their physical health and wellness, in partnership with community-based resources and healthcare providers. If the Clubhouse also provides in-house wellness activities , they are scheduled to be consistent with a vibrant, side-by-side work-ordered day; and significantly utilize the teaching skills and expertise of members.

Eric Schroeder reviewed this standard and wrote what it means to him:

"B’More Clubhouse helps me accomplish all my dreams, goals, talents, gifts, abilities, creativities, imaginations, ambitions and plans for my future. At the Clubhouse, I try new school ways and some old school ways. Every unit in B’More Clubhouse keeps me doing tasks that help my mental health and physical health. We do wellness and fitness challenges to help mental health and physical health. They keep my brain and body from being idle. B’More Clubhouse improves health if members are consistent in working. I like to come daily to improve my mental health and physical health."

How the B'More Newsletter Comes Together

 By: Eric Schroeder, CC Colison, Morgan Coleman, and Abraham Massie

The Newsletter has been circulating almost as long as B’More Clubhouse has been open. These days, we get together to plan the newsletter once a month. It happens during the BizCom Planning Meeting on Mondays. We list out the sections of the newsletter one at a time and hear each other’s ideas for what would make good, relevant, exciting articles. We think of strategies to promote certain events and highlight or uplift particular people (like members, staff, or board members). We collect ideas for what articles to write based on a layout plan, which includes Program Features, Employment Features, Standard Review and New Projects around the Clubhouse. We also highlight members’ creativity in the Creative Corner section of the newsletter which can include poetry, art, photos of creative events–and even jokes!

So after we make the layout plan for the month, we start putting our ideas together. Sometimes the articles are really easy to write. Other times, after we’ve started writing, we find out the article doesn’t work as well as we thought it would. But we don’t see that as a bad thing, it’s just another opportunity to be creative!

While people are writing the content, some of our visually creative members update the Calendar template on Canva, changing the colors for the month and starting to add pictures of events to bring the articles to life.

After the content is written, we ask for feedback around the BizCom unit and start proofreading each article. This is how we get everyone’s point of view, getting the “creative juices” flowing and making sure the final product is exactly what the team wants it to be.

Writing the Newsletter is important work for us to do every month. We send it out to the community, which includes members, families, and even other Clubhouses. It’s a meaningful way to stay connected with what’s going on at B’More, so even if people aren’t able to come to the Work-Ordered Day, they trust they’re still a part of our community.

Members can submit articles for us to print in the newsletter at any time in person or by email (members@bmoreclubhouse.org, write “Newsletter article” in the subject line).

Clubhouse Expansion

Over the last couple of years, you may have heard some people at B’More talking about “Clubhouse Expansion.” Abraham and Morgan sat down with Jason to learn more details about this project.

So what is Clubhouse Expansion? Right now, it’s still just a vision, so we can’t say what it will be, but we can say what we hope it becomes. The goal is to create financial sustainability for B’More Clubhouse through amending the state’s Medicaid plan for reimbursement for psychosocial rehabilitation services. There’s many ways this could be done, and we’ve been working with state officials to find the potential plan which makes the most sense for people across the state. Amending Medicaid would also allow for other people to apply for a license to open a Clubhouse in Maryland. B’More Clubhouse would likely have a role in helping others open their Clubhouses and/or opening more Clubhouses ourselves.

We asked Jason what other locations would be interested in opening a Clubhouse, and he told us that the most interest has come from Harford County/Bel Air. However, at the moment, there isn’t available funding for opening a Clubhouse, which is why changes to Medicaid will be the most helpful.

Clubhouse Expansion is an important goal because of its potential impact across the state. B’More Clubhouse is offering something that a lot of people in Maryland could benefit from. The Clubhouse Model is effective, and all Marylanders deserve the opportunity to access Clubhouses wherever they are.

Employment Dinners

by: the BizCom Team

Cover Photo: From the June 2024 Employment Dinner with special guest and local author, Charita Cole Brown. 

What is it?

A dinner we share while talking about employment-related topics, and one of our longest traditions.

Why do we do it?

We do it to provide opportunities for working members to reconnect with their social support and have fun together. It’s also an opportunity for working members to give encouragement, advice, and inspiration to job seeking members.

How do we do it?

We work all month choosing guest speakers or preparing talking points, planning the meal, designing and sending out invitations. Sometimes we choose guest speakers from inside the Clubhouse, sometimes they are from outside the Clubhouse like a local employer or speaker from NAMI.

Why does it matter?

Because looking for work can be really hard, this can provide vital support for that process. For those who have been out of work for a while, it’s a chance to learn about supported ways to re-enter the workforce. It’s an opportunity for working members to be reminded how meaningful their contributions are to this community, even if they aren’t able to come to the Clubhouse very often.

When is the next one?

Employment Dinner happens on the last Thursday of the month, from 4-6 PM. If you’re interested in attending, just come on in!

Photo: A group discussion from the March 2024 Employment Dinner. The theme? How a job search is like a pie!

Throwback photos: These were taken at Employment Dinners in our previous building on Franklin Street over 5 years ago.