Celebrating anniversaries

 On the last Friday of every month, we have an afternoon celebration to honor member and staff anniversaries. We decided that the anniversary of becoming a part of the B’More Clubhouse community is something to celebrate and that a monthly party is a good way to honor members and staff.

Planning the celebration consists of making a baked good such as cheesecake or cookies, creating a giant card with poster board, and creating a slideshow with pictures of all of the monthly anniversaries.. We work on these tasks in the BizCom unit during the month, and we have a lot of fun preparing for this celebration. When we make the slide show we hunt through pictures from Clubhouse activities to find fun photos of anniversary celebrants. We make a giant card out of poster board which we decorate with our creativity and imagination. At the party we invite colleagues to share their favorite memories of their time at the Clubhouse. It’s a way to show our appreciation for our colleagues and reminisce about the ways B’More has helped our recovery.

This is a fun new tradition at B’More Clubhouse and gives us the opportunity to celebrate all year round. Join us on the last Friday of the month to enjoy this celebration with us.

Visiting Norway

By: Jason Woody 

B’More Clubhouse was and is the only Clubhouse in Maryland. I am proud of the work that we have accomplished during the past 15 years and I’m excited about the opportunities ahead. One potential opportunity is to expand Clubhouse presence in Maryland by opening new Clubhouses in Baltimore County. 

I have been talking to other Clubhouses around the world about their experience in expanding their Clubhouses. During the 2022 World Seminar in Baltimore, I met two colleagues, Harvard and Torhild, from Fontenehus Norge (English translation - Fountain House Norway). I was very impressed by their work on Clubhouse expansion! Less than two years later I had the opportunity to travel to Norway to visit their Clubhouse! Norway has a similar population to the state of Maryland and they currently have 23 Clubhouses. Fontenehus Norge is the Clubhouse Coalition for the country of Norway. They have five staff members who work in a central office to support the existing Clubhouses and help to open new Clubhouses. It was very interesting to learn more about the work that they do and the ins and outs of how they accomplish their goals. Generally speaking, they focus on five key areas of work to support Clubhouses: political advocacy and funding, data collection and research, marketing and communications, new Clubhouse development, and building partnerships with employers and education programs.

While I was in Norway, I was also able to visit four actual Clubhouses. While they were all unique in their appearance and vibes, they were also so familiar to me, as most Clubhouses are. It is amazing to have that consistent feeling when you walk into any Clubhouse in the world that is following our standards based model. I was pleasantly surprised that during my visits, I ran into a couple of people that I’ve met before at various Clubhouse conferences. It was a really nice feeling to make the world feel a little smaller for a moment. 

Since my visit to Norway, I’m excited about the possibility of Clubhouse expansion here in Maryland. I have some fresh ideas about where we can go from here. We have already made a lot of progress but it will take a lot of time and patience. If anyone would like to learn more, stop by and chat anytime! 

Poetry Creative Corner

 For the September Newsletter, B'More Clubhouse colleagues shared short poems. Here they are!

Never Lost, Always Home 
By: Mish Megow
Walk with me brother
Until our roads lead us away from each other
And if your hearts full of sorrow, keep walking
Don’t rest and promise me from heart to chest to never let your memories die
Never
I will always be here by your side
In your mind

Me and My Girl - By: Mariana Torres

My baby girl is so sweet

Love my dog Parker

Oh my sweet angel baby!

Relationships of Wisdom 

By: Michelle Felder

I should not have change to fit your perspective of imagine

By having lack of communication lead to frustration

I believe trust is the key to want to be with me in the near future

Every relationship not perfect also have ups and down

Cooking can be magical experience to person heart

Don’t expect me to be me

If you don’t contribute to our relationship as equal

Buying gift is not all about the money

THE UPCOMING FALL 

By: Raymond Nichols

ITS is a new fall season  for bmore

And ravens orioles and college it is fun

And a great time of year fundraiser 

Getting  down to work on everything

Plaining for holidays  football underway

A great feeling in the air jacket weather 

Leaves falling off trees coolness and

Sound of events coming up

Relationships with Women - By: Eman Wolfy

Keeping my morals and values of being a Hebrew Israelite in singlehood.

My singlehood remains good not lowering my self in desperation.

Because  my foundation Yashaya the Christ in singlehood not changing who I am for no woman.

My life I am a winner I went to my own drama and trauma as black man in society.

Yashaya the Christ keep me from the wrong women.

Keep me from repeating generational curses of my parents and my ancestors.

Never going lower my self my morals and values for no woman.

I have victory over my singlehood like Yashaya the Christ Deadsea scrolls Fragment 9 .

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.

Mariana's 1 Year Anniversary!

Mariana Torres celebrated her 1st anniversary of becoming a Staff at B'More Clubhouse last month, so we asked her some questions!

1. Why did you want to work at B’More Clubhouse?

My dad actually worked at a clubhouse, and I knew it was very community-based. I knew I was moving into Baltimore and looking for a job that was going to connect me with a community.

2. What’s your favorite thing about working here?

Getting to form relationships with people has just been so, so, so rewarding.

3. What’s your least favorite thing about working here?

Hardest thing is the times when you are giving community resource support but there just aren’t enough resources to support people. It can be very disheartening.

4. What would you tell an interested person about what it’s like to work here?

AS long as you like socializing and have that social battery to work with people, you’re probably really going to enjoy it. My capacity for social interaction has expanded; I love waking up to come here and be with my people.

5. What is your favorite movie?

The original ‘Scream.’

6. Please share three fun facts about your dog Parker!

She has an alternate personality named Porker and if you ever meet her you will get to hear her piggy snort.

I gave her her 4th home. 4th and final, she’s sticking around.

People report to me that her nose looks like a little heart.

YAC x NAMI: Young Adult Social Events

 

by: Young Adult Committee

YAC stands for Young Adult Committee, and at B’More Clubhouse, YAC serves as a way to keep young adults connected. The Clubhouse has had Young Adult goals for over a decade. Then in September of 2022, we heard a talk at the Clubhouse International World Seminar in Baltimore that inspired us to put our ideas into action. After seeing the great example set by Mosaic Clubhouse, we decided to form a committee to ensure we achieve our young adult-related goals. YAC is designed to appeal to 18-30 year olds, but meetings and events are not limited to that age (because people of all ages have valuable things to contribute to these efforts!).

As for NAMI (which stands for National Alliance of Mental Illness), this is how they describe themselves on their website: “At NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore we envision a world where all people affected by mental illness lead healthy, fulfilling lives supported by a community that cares. To support that mission, we provide advocacy, education, support, and public awareness around mental health issues. Our programs are geared towards individuals, caregivers, and community members in a variety of settings. You are not alone!”

B’More Clubhouse and NAMI Metro Baltimore have been longtime partners, working together on a number of projects. Every February, B’More participates in NAMI Advocacy Day which is an opportunity for Clubhouse colleagues to advocate for mental health-related legislation to our elected officials. We have also participated in NAMIWalks Maryland which is their annual large fundraiser. NAMI has also been instrumental in helping B’More connect with communities around the state of Maryland to start conversations about opening more Maryland Clubhouses. 

Back in February, some folks from NAMI came to B’More for a tour of the program. They really liked what they saw, and immediately started brainstorming ideas for collaborations with B’More tour guides, Michelle and Mariana. This was followed by another meeting in March where we planned out some future social events and discussed goals for the partnership.

So what all are we collaborating on? On the evening of July 17th, B’More and NAMI will have our first collaboration social event, which is a Game Night at the NAMI offices. There will be pizza, and we’ll make dessert to bring and share. There will also be a prize raffle! Then, in October, B’More will host the next collab event, which will be an open mic night! We’ll share more about it the closer we get.

Young adults need mental health support now more than ever. From the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): “Young adults aged 18-25 years had the highest prevalence of SMI (11.4%) compared to adults aged 26-49 years (7.1%) and aged 50 and older (2.5%).” So we want to support young adults by meeting them where they are. We hope that YAC continues to increase the number of young adult members at B’More Clubhouse, and that an ongoing partnership with NAMI will help us connect to even more young people. We also look forward to all of the resource sharing opportunities between YAC and NAMI. 

Clubhouse Spotlight: Maya Diamant-Cohen

Clubhouse: How was your first year at the Clubhouse?

Maya Diamant-Cohen: It’s been a wonderful experience, I’ve learned a lot. I enjoy the experience of being at B’More Clubhouse.

CH: Do you love working here?

MDC: Yes! 10 out of 10!

CH: Why did you choose to work here?

MDC: I thought it would be very meaningful. I was impressed with the Clubhouse model and the people here.

CH: What is a professional goal you have for yourself at the Clubhouse?

MDC: To keep learning and growing and helping. To keep refining my work career.

CH: What do you bring to the Clubhouse?

MDC: A smile :)

CH: What is a great moment in your life?

MDC: Traveling on my own in Asia

CH: Where are you from?

MDC: I was born in Israel. I moved to Baltimore when I was 9, and I’ve been all over the place since I was 17.

CH: What do you like to do for fun? And when will you adopt a cat?

MDC: For fun, I like hiking and being outdoors. And I’ll adopt a cat once I get a home to welcome them to!