Nearly 100 corporate employers, clubhouse members and staff, advocates and friends, gathered at the New York Clubhouse Coalition’s (NYCC) third annual Employment Celebration at Fountain House in New York City on Friday, November 17th.
The event recognized eight corporate partners for playing a key role in helping adults with a mental illness re-enter the work force, combatting high unemployment rates among people with major mental illness.
The NYCC is a non-profit organization committed to helping people with serious and persistent mental illness find and secure employment, housing, education, and other services and supports in the community. Its membership includes over 5,000 people with mental illness and the staff of nine Clubhouses in the five boroughs: Boulevard Club in the Bronx, Fountain House and Harlem Bay Network in Manhattan, Citiview Connections and Venture House in Queens, Skylight Center in Staten Island and East New York Club, Metro Club, and Summit House in Brooklyn.
Kenn Dudek, President of Fountain House thanked the honorees for their commitment. “You’re helping combat the stigma of mental illness every day, one person at a time, one day at a time. We thank you for giving people jobs, which leads to hope, which helps people get on with their lives. “
The employers receiving awards from the NYCC were: Automatic Data Processing (ADP), New York City Department of Mental Health, Hudson Yards, Kmart, Marshalls, Penguin Group, RF Binder and Warner Music Group.
Jody Silver, Director of Consumer Affairs at the NYC Department of Mental Health (DMH), emphasized the importance of work for people recovering from mental illness saying, “As Director of Consumer Affairs, I figured it was time to practice what we preach…what we know is that employment equals recovery." The city DMH now employs a member of Venture House.
Aliza Koszuk, a member of Harlem Bay Network, who works for RF Binder, a communications management agency in Manhattan, says that “working gave me a chance to feel a sense of accomplishment – and that’s an important thing for any person to feel.”
According to the NYCC Employment Statistics compiled by the Program for Clubhouse Research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, New York City employers have hired 614 clubhouse members in fiscal year 2006.
Jacquee Sanders from Hudson Yards in Midtown is pleased to have been hiring members from Fountain House for almost five years. “ I can honestly say I have never met such a great group of people. They’re efficient, courteous, professional and a joy to be around. Thank you, guys.”
The Employment Celebration was organized by the NYCC with support from Fountain House, the Sidney R. Baer Jr. Foundation, the Massachusetts Clubhouse Coalition, and the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
