Why it Matters

There are a lot of reasons why supporting Clubhouse International matters, but we’ve listed the top four below; when you set up your fundraising page, share what your reason is!

#1 You are helping to provide more places where people living with mental illness can go to get their lives back – and perhaps even someone you know 

When a person living with mental illness joins a Clubhouse – becomes a member – he or she has access to a community of support unlike any other. Through the relationships members build with each other and staff, Clubhouses become a restorative environment for people whose lives have been severely disrupted because of their mental illness. The more Clubhouses we have, the more people will achieve sustainable recovery.

#2 You are helping to reduce the impact on society – hospitalizations, incarcerations, and lost days of work

Research shows that both incarcerations and hospital stays are reduced as a result of membership in a Clubhouse program. And Clubhouse membership and participation in our Work-Ordered-Day often leads to paid employment – employment rates for Clubhouse members are almost 3x that of other people living with mental illness.

Clubhouses powerfully demonstrate that people with mental illness can and do lead productive, happy lives. Each Clubhouse we open reaches +/- 500 people in need!

#3 You are helping to save lives – reducing risk of suicide or death by substance abuse

Every day, nearly 2,200 people in the world − some 800,000 each year − commit suicide. In 90% of suicides, mental illness is the attributing cause. Mental illness and depression are also highly correlated to substance abuse.

Clubhouses help lower suicide rates by fostering a sense of inclusion and self-esteem that are essential to curtailing suicidal tendencies.

#4 You are helping people with mental illness contribute to their communities – through work and wellness programs

Clubhouses are organized around a belief that work, and work-mediated relationships, are restorative and provide a firm foundation for growth and important individual achievement, and the belief that normalized social and recreational opportunities are an important part of a person’s path to recovery.

In addition to wellness programs, Clubhouses offer members both temporary and permanent employment opportunities, starting with engaging members with the Work-Ordered-Day at the Clubhouse.

We envision a world where people with a mental illness recover and are an integral part of society. With your help, we can make recovery possible!