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One in 10 people in Lee County are affected by some form of mental health condition. I am one of them.
I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder as an adult. While I had symptoms even as a high school student, I never realized something was amiss until I reached my breaking point and finally reached out for professional help.
When that happened, I was fortunate that I had my care team to fall back on during the most challenging time in life. But that's not the case for many people diagnosed with a mental illness. Many people are left without support options and with nowhere to turn. That's where Hope Clubhouse comes in.
Hope Clubhouse provides a community of support for adults living with a mental illness. The Clubhouse helps members regain purpose in their lives. Hope Clubhouse gives just that - HOPE. It serves as the family that many desperately need in times of crises - available weekdays, some evenings and weekends, and all holidays to offer support.
I can confidently say that Hope Clubhouse literally saved my life - without the Clubhouse, I would not be here. My life has changed completely in the three years since I became a member of this community. I have discovered a new purpose and live to make a difference for myself and others living with a mental health diagnosis.
Before, I secluded myself from others and never left the house. I stopped caring for my hygiene, lost long-term friendships, did not take medication as prescribed and had all but given up on life. The Clubhouse has changed all that. Now I come to Hope Clubhouse usually five days a week. My typical day often includes prepping food with the culinary team to be delivered to homebound members as well as preparing lunch for the day. I also work on various business tasks including social media and website development. Here, we are not defined by our illness, and it's easy to socialize and make friends because there is no stigma - you can be who you are, and you will always be welcomed.
In addition to being a member, I also serve on the board of directors for Hope Clubhouse to help raise awareness of what I have personally found to be a lifesaving program.
Hope Clubhouse's evidence-based model provides opportunities for members to participate in horticultural, culinary, employment and business development. In addition, Hope Clubhouse provides opportunities for paid employment and access to housing, education, wellness and much more. As a result of these programs, members have fewer acute episodes and hospitalizations, lower suicide rates and reduced incarceration rates. Members are also able to improve their support systems, which are vital to maintaining mental health stability. It is the only model of its kind in the greater Southwest Florida area, with the next available programs as far away as Sarasota or Miami. Hope Clubhouse is the best agency you might have never heard about.
The pandemic created new, or worsening, barriers for people suffering from mental illness, while simultaneously creating an entirely new segment of people struggling with their mental health. Increased isolation has had devastating impacts on those who were already experiencing feelings of loneliness.
In response, the Clubhouse created a hybrid service model to offer in-person and virtual participation options. HOPEConnects ensured that every member who needed a technology device had one. This allowed isolated, or homebound members, to participate in Clubhouse meetings and also meet with health care providers, family and friends. Through the creation of DeliveringHOPE, we addressed the insecurities of our members. The hot-meal-at-home delivery service brought three meals each day to those in need. These programs provided lifechanging services when our members were in great need.
In 2021, Hope Clubhouse served 205 members, providing 21,676 hours of training and skill-building to assist with obtaining paid employment and access to education, housing, food and wellness. The Garden of Hope, one of the few urban gardens in Fort Myers, produced 4,710 pounds of produce that was used to assist the Culinary unit in serving 4,749 hot meals. It was also taken home by members or distributed within the Fort Myers and Cape Coral communities.
As Hope Clubhouse strives to help meet the rising demand for mental health services in Southwest Florida, it has become clear that a new, larger space is needed to best serve members like me and new members to exceed the nearly 700 people that the organization has served over the past 10 years.
On March 10, the Faces of Hope luncheon will help raise critical funding to support the future expansion of Hope Clubhouse from our current 2,700-square-foot building into a 10,000-square-foot facility that can more effectively serve adults in our community who are facing mental health challenges.
The event also aims to raise awareness and support for adult mental health services in Southwest Florida, and will feature a compelling presentation from Joshua Seidman, Ph.D. of Fountain House as well as a panel presentation with me, Seidman and Damini Parkhi, a community youth mental health advocate. It is an inspiring event that brings our members together with the community.
Please join us at Faces of Hope from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 10, at Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd. in Fort Myers. Tickets are $75 for adults, $25 for students and $15 for virtual attendees. Opportunities are also available for those who wish to support the event through sponsorships.
About the Author
Ryan Benefiel is diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and a member of Hope Clubhouse. He also sits on the board of Hope Clubhouse, a nonprofit that changes lives by focusing on adults with mental health challenges and sharing resources to help them grow, recover and thrive. For tickets or to learn more about sponsoring the event, visit HopeClubhouse.org/Luncheon or call 239-267-1777.