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
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Meet four New Yorkers living with mental health conditions who are members of a Fountain …
