Putnam Clubhouse

Participant Story

I was homeless when I first started attending the program and the Clubhouse assisted me with finding housing. Ever since, I've lived independently in an apartment. When I joined the Clubhouse, I'd been unemployed for about a dozen years and spent most of my time on the street panhandling. The Clubhouse helped me find a job and I'm proud to say I've been working for almost a year as a carpet cleaner. The Clubhouse is where I go to rebuild a meaningful and productive life while recovering from mental illness. From homeless to living in an apartment and from unemployed to having a job, the Clubhouse has supported me every step of the way. Recovery at the Clubhouse comes from being involved in productive work and from building positive relationships at the Clubhouse. I learned to cook while making meals with the other members to serve to members each day at the Clubhouse. And guess what? I discovered that I really like cooking. So when the Clubhouse multimedia lab started a cooking show, they asked me to be the chef. Our show is called Chef's Corner. Each segment, produced by members and staff together, focuses on preparing a recipe that's affordable, healthy and doesn't require a fancy kitchen.