Fountain House Is A Great Place
I've been a Clubhouse Member of Fountain House for nearly 12 years, growing up from a teenage boy to a young man. Horticultural therapy and its associated work gave me vigor and calm. I found solace in the High Point Farm in Upstate New Jersey as well as the daily functions of the Horticulture Unit of which I am part of. Due to the Hort. Unit and my past experience with plants I have a springboard for an internship at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden next year which I have been volunteering for two years. The Work Day Ethic exemplified in Fountain House is portrayed in the Clubhouse Motto or Mission Statement.
The Fountain House Education Unit grew in prominence just over eight years ago due to its College Program, which was another asset for me. Through Joanna, the Unit Director, Bea Lieberman and Jeff at the time I was exercised in the preliminaries of college and returned in 1992 and then in 1995. I am returning to Brooklyn College as an Adult Degree Student next term in which I will be an Upper Junior majoring in Sociology. Previously, I was the Secretary for SOFEDUP,a Disability Society in Brooklyn College, under the auspices of the Director of Personal Counseling and Disability, Roberta Adelman, a sweet lady. Additionally, Fountain House helped me recover from a relapse this summer due to academic stress and now I feel rejuvenated. I plan to attend Social Work School upon graduation.
The TEP Unit or Temporary Employment Unit of Fountain House is a true blessing in disguise. All I can think of succinctly is "Working is good therapy." I've completed approximately seven or eight TEP's since 1990 and now I believe I'm doing my last assignment faithfully looking for permanent work afterwards. I work at a very prestigious Law Firm in Mid-Town Manhattan. The TE staff are exemplary as well as my TE managers. Judy, who helped me get my first TE as an outdoor messenger twelve years ago as an 18 year old is also my Manager; also Tara and Louis are excellent. Additionally, this experience as reference has helped me get school internships, volunteer jobs, and part-time jobs outside.
Fountain House is involved with its community and world. For years they've taken part in Community Festivals. They've mentored Colleagues from Clubhouses all over the world within the Clubhouse Model. And there is strong involvement in Public Policy on behalf of the Mentally Disabled directed by Margie in the Advocacy Unit.
Finally, when you enter the House sometimes you will never know the difference between staff or members, who join as members for life, because there are strong members who are leaders. Former member and now staff, Ronnie Peterson, leads a Core Group which drives to High Point and take care of the Farm Chalet by themselves. On a tangent, one of the strong reasons why I returned to Fountain House was while doing a research paper in school I read of Ronnie Peterson's name in a library book I was using so I returned to keep in touch and the community relationship began once again.
There aren't any organizations on the face of the earth that are not 100% trouble free but where there is slack there are very good people who make up the difference. One of the many persons is Esther Martinez, one of the long standing Directors of Fountain House. She is a lovely lady who loves Fountain House and Fountain House loves her.