What do friends, activities, and historic mansions have in common? Lori D’Angelo, Ph.D., executive director of Magnolia Clubhouse since 1997, tells The Land that they are the building blocks of community.
“In our Clubhouse model, members and staff operate the club in partnership, so in a very natural way, a community is created,” D’Angelo said. Magnolia Clubhouse, located in University Circle, is an award-winning psychiatric rehabilitation center where members with mental illness work with each other and professionals to operate their Clubhouse and rebuild their lives.
“The Club brought me out of isolation,” Clubhouse member Danielle said. “It got me new skills to maintain a job. It helped me get a job, too. It’s like a family. There’s an abundance of support.”
Founded in 2004, Cleveland’s Magnolia Clubhouse purchased two adjacent turn-of-the century homes in the Magnolia-Wade Park Historic District in University Circle, gradually restoring the houses in phases as its Clubhouse membership grew. Now, 20 years later, the Clubhouse is preparing to join the two homes together to integrate their operations, to support more members with mental illness, and to expand community access through larger meeting and event space, according to D’Angelo.
“It’s a terrific place to meet new people,” Suzanne said, an 8-year member of the Clubhouse.
“They help you learn about computers, communications, hospitality, and learning to cook with staff in the kitchen.”
Currently, one in five people live with mental illness, according to the website of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – Greater Cleveland. “Treatment is available, but there are few services that support psychiatric rehabilitation and community reintegration,” D’Angelo said. Nationally, research shows clubhouse members have reduced rates of hospitalization and incarceration as well as employment rates five times higher than the national average for those with mental illness.
Growing the therapeutic power of community in Cleveland
Magnolia Clubhouse has recently raised $1.5 million for its new expansion plan and is working to raise $2 million more.
“We have already renovated the two homes, expanded the kitchen, improved the site, and renovated the carriage house behind the two homes,” said D’Angelo. The carriage house serves as an onsite clinic, offering primary care and psychiatric services to members.
“Our plans include joining the two houses so that the Clubhouse will be entirely integrated and accessible to serve more members,” D’Angelo said. The new addition connecting the two homes will include three floors and a basement. Currently, average daily attendance is 76 members, and the goal after joining the buildings is to serve 150 people a day, she said. Accessibility improvements will include a new ramp and the installation of an elevator.
In addition, the expansion will invite more community involvement. “The space will allow our café to be open to the community. and the large, flexible space will provide an area that can host larger community events,” said D’Angelo.
At the Cleveland Landmarks Commission meeting on April 27, LDA Architects representative Steve Jennings walked the committee through the concept plan for the proposed addition. The new addition will utilize modern materials, like large glass windows and brick, to distinguish itself from the historic buildings, as is required by the commission.
The new addition will become the primary entrance from the parking area, Jennings said. New curb cuts will give a larger buffer between parking and the building and allow for two-way traffic in the parking area.
Elise Yablonsky, vice president of community development for University Circle Inc., supports the renovations. “Magnolia Clubhouse does incredible work on behalf of adults living with mental illness and is an important anchor within the Magnolia-Wade Park Historic District,” she told The Land. “We’re grateful for their ongoing stewardship of their historic buildings and hope the expansion and renovation will allow the organization to continue offering its valuable services to the community well into the future.”
Building skills, community, and ‘family’
There are two other clubhouses in Ohio, one in Dayton and one in Columbus. The model, first established by Fountain House in New York City in 1948, has been replicated in 330 locations around the world as a best practice to promote independence and self-sufficiency for people who live with mental illness.
Involving members in the operations of the clubhouse is key to the model. Here in Cleveland, the Magnolia Clubhouse resale shop is open to anyone for shopping and donations. Friendly Clubhouse members work on their customer service, retail sales, and other employment skills. Spacious rooms feature a selection of upscale furniture, decor, and home goods donated from individuals and estate sales. Proceeds from the sales raise funds for Clubhouse activities and clinical care.
The welcome desk and phones are also staffed by members, while Clubhouse administration offices are upstairs. Outside, a landscaped terrace under a pergola offers seating and a soothing waterfall and pond.
Members pick up hot lunches prepared by members and staff in the modern commercial kitchen and then eat together at round dining tables in the sunny dining room. “We make a list of the foods we would like to eat each week. Members and staff help make it,” member Suzanne said.
Above the dining room, members work on projects using a state-of-the-art technology center complete with video production capabilities, such as a green room for filming, video cameras, and banks of computers with production editing software. Magnolia Clubhouse produces a daily news show for its members and promotional spots profiling the Clubhouse concept for other cities interested in the model.
Dues of $1 per day provide a member with hot lunch and all the opportunities of the Clubhouse. Professional staff support member activities and their health needs through an on-site clinic. Staff also link members to housing and transitional and supported employment opportunities. “Transitional employment” is unpaid skill building activities at Magnolia Clubhouse and “supported employment” is work at local partners of Magnolia that is supervised and supported by Magnolia staff.
“It’s a great place to be,” 6-year member Jamie said. “I left for a while… but one day I realized that Magnolia is a family and I wanted my family back… we all support one another… there’s never no fighting… we all get along.”
Magnolia Clubhouse is located at 11101 Magnolia Drive in Cleveland, Ohio. For a tour of the Clubhouse and information about enrollment, call 216-731-3030. The resale shop is open to the public Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m – 3:30 p.m. and can be reached at 216-630-3857. Find out more about donating items to the resale shop here.
Cindy Hill was a participant in The Land’s community journalism program.
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