In part to help celebrate its recent accolades while acknowledging Mental Health Awareness Month, the Friendship House will be hosting its fifth-annual Mental Health Fun Fair on Friday. Friendship House is a voluntary program where each member’s strengths and talents
In part to help celebrate its recent accolades while acknowledging Mental Health Awareness Month, the Friendship House will be hosting its fifth-annual Mental Health Fun Fair on Friday.
Friendship House is a voluntary program where each member’s strengths and talents are emphasized rather than their mental illness, symptoms, or psychiatric history. The entity was recently named the Outstanding Agency in Mental Health for the state of Hawai‘i.
The award was made during a luncheon at the Japanese Cultural Center on O‘ahu by the Mental Health America of Hawai‘i association May 3.
Friendship House was selected for its commitment to providing empowering and supportive services for adults with mental illness and for generating the highest member earnings of any clubhouse in the state, states a press release from Friendship House.
Approximately 50 percent of all the Friendship House members are actively employed in the community, in comparison with a national average of 10 to 15 percent.
Friendship House was the first clubhouse program in the state. There are 10 clubhouse programs located throughout the state.
Based upon the clubhouse model, Friendship House is a partnership model in which members and staff work side-by-side, carrying out the work of the clubhouse.
Some of the many individuals, groups and organizations that support Friendship House include the Kaua‘i Community Mental Health Center, Friendship Club Advisory Board, Hawai‘i Clubhouse Coalition, International Center for Clubhouse Development, Adult Mental Health Division, Kaua‘i United Way, Aloha Care, Kaua‘i Marriott Resort and Beach Club, Big Save, Kaua‘i Kookie, St. Michael’s Church, McInerny Foundation, Antone & Edene Vidinha Charitable Trust, the Zonta Club of Kaua‘i, the Rotary Club of Kapa‘a, the G.N.Wilcox Trust and Jack Yatsko.
Free live entertainment with Revival and Keola Alalem, educational information regarding mental health, food, and a silent auction will highlight the festivities between 4:30 and 8:30 p.m. Friday.
This year’s Mental Health Fun Fair is made possible by a grant from Aloha Care.
