wellspring november 2011 newsletter

6
Wellspring Named a Partner in SAMHSA Housing First Grant! Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies: Wellspring Clients’ Lifestyle Changes Improve Their Lives Like many Americans, Wellspring’s participants are becoming increasingly conscious of the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. We first heard that the Crescent House program fellows had changed their dietary habits, and then the ladies at Concord Apartments started frequenting the Family YMCA. Ardery House residents began reexamining their shopping lists and food preparation techniques, and participants across the programs have redoubled their efforts to quit or reduce smoking. The result? Residents are more active, feel more positive about themselves and are more confident about making changes that can improve their lives. We applaud these efforts and commend Wellspring’s program staff for all the support they offer to our residents in beginning and sustaining important lifestyle choices. Inside this issue: Wellspring Open House 2 Welcome Board Members! 2 Tribute to Cornelia Atherton Serpell 2 Letter from the Chairman 3 Art Show & Sale a Success! 4 Wellspring Wallopalooza Golf Marathon 4 Humana Volunteers at Shelbyville 4 Kentucky Colonels & Women’s Club Grants 5 Holiday Wish List 5 Mayor Fischer Visits Wellspring! 6 November, 2011 www.wellspringky.org Client Health Initiatives Purchasing food with lower fat, sodium, and sugar content. Choosing to prepare food in healthier ways. Including more fruits and vegetables in daily menu plans. Taking up weight-bearing exercises, joining swimming classes, walking, and biking. Using smoking cessation tools to reduce cigarette smoking. crisis stabilization services supported housing independent housing In September, the Homeless Coalition walked the streets of Louisville Metro and surveyed homeless people as part of the “100,000 Homes Campaign.” The results were startling; a large number of the participants reported major health risks, and the average length of homeless- ness was five years. But on September 23 rd the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced a grant award that will address those issues for at least 75 adults in our community. This three-year $1.5M grant “will help rebuild the lives of people and families who are chronically homeless because of a behavioral health problem,” explains SAMSHA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde. “By providing housing that supports recovery from these health conditions, we can move people off the streets and into successful, fulfilling lives.” The grant will target chronically homeless adults with severe mental illness, substance abuse, or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse. Taking a Housing First approach, the first priority of this grant is to connect those in need of housing with permanent housing and will involve a number of community agencies, including Wellspring. “We are excited to have a significant role in this important effort to provide housing to some of the most vulnerable homeless adults in our community and pleased that Wellspring will now be able to offer ‘Housing First’ as one of the choices in our array of supportive housing options,” says Kathy Dobbins, Wellspring Executive Director. Phoenix Health Center for the Homeless, a division of Family Health Centers, Inc., is the lead agency in this program. Wellspring will offer case management, peer support services and art therapy as part of the intensive individualized services designed to increase recovery and sustain permanent support housing. Crescent House residents are eating healthier and feeling better because of it. The Concord ladies are visiting the YMCA multiple times a week!

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SAMHSA Housing First Grant; Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies: client spotlight; Welcome new Board members; Tribute to Cornelia A. Serpell, and much, much more!

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Page 1: Wellspring November 2011 Newsletter

Wellspring Named a Partner in SAMHSA Housing First Grant!

Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies:

Wellspring Clients’ Lifestyle Changes Improve Their Lives

Like many Americans, Wellspring’s participants are becoming increasingly conscious of the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. We first heard that the Crescent House program fellows had changed their dietary habits, and then the ladies at Concord Apartments started frequenting the Family YMCA. Ardery House residents began reexamining their shopping lists and food preparation techniques, and participants

across the programs have redoubled their efforts to quit or reduce smoking.

The result? Residents are more active, feel more positive

about themselves and are more confident about making

changes that can improve their lives. We applaud these

efforts and commend Wellspring’s program staff for all the

support they offer to our residents in beginning and

sustaining important lifestyle choices.

Inside this issue:

Wellspring Open House 2

Welcome Board Members! 2

Tribute to Cornelia Atherton Serpell 2

Letter from the Chairman 3

Art Show & Sale a Success! 4

Wellspring Wallopalooza Golf Marathon 4

Humana Volunteers at Shelbyville 4

Kentucky Colonels & Women’s Club Grants 5

Holiday Wish List 5

Mayor Fischer Visits Wellspring! 6

November, 2011 www.wellspringky.org

Client Health

Initiatives

Purchasing food with lower

fat, sodium, and sugar

content.

Choosing to prepare food in

healthier ways.

Including more fruits and

vegetables in daily menu

plans.

Taking up weight-bearing

exercises, joining swimming

classes, walking, and biking.

Using smoking cessation

tools to reduce cigarette

smoking.

crisis stabilization services supported housing independent housing

In September, the Homeless Coalition walked the streets of Louisville Metro and surveyed homeless people as part of the “100,000 Homes Campaign.” The results were startling; a large number of the participants reported major health risks, and the average length of homeless-ness was five years.

But on September 23rd the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced a grant award that will address those issues for at least 75 adults in our community. This three-year $1.5M grant “will help rebuild the lives of people and families who are chronically homeless because of a behavioral health problem,” explains SAMSHA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde. “By providing housing that supports recovery

from these health conditions, we can move people off the streets and into successful, fulfilling lives.”

The grant will target chronically homeless adults with severe mental illness, substance abuse, or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse.

Taking a Housing First approach, the first priority of this grant is to connect those in need of housing with permanent housing and will involve a number of

community agencies, including Wellspring. “We are excited to have a significant role in this important effort to provide housing to some of the most vulnerable homeless adults in our community and pleased that Wellspring will now be able to offer ‘Housing First’ as one of the choices in our array of supportive housing options,” says Kathy Dobbins, Wellspring Executive Director.

Phoenix Health Center for the Homeless, a division of Family Health Centers, Inc., is the lead agency in this program. Wellspring will offer case management, peer support services and art therapy as part of the intensive individualized services designed to increase recovery and sustain permanent support housing.

Crescent House residents are eating healthier and feeling better because of it.

The Concord ladies are visiting the YMCA multiple times a week!

Page 2: Wellspring November 2011 Newsletter

2

Wellspring Welcomes

Two New Board Members!

Wellspring sadly acknowledges the death of Cornelia Serpell, who passed away this fall. As a tribute to this pioneer and steadfast friend, and with her family’s blessings, we share the following:

Born in Glenview on March 7, 1917 to Cornelia A. Atherton and Peter Lee Atherton, Cornelia Atherton Serpell took her last breath on Earth and peacefully entered Heaven in God’s care on September 10, 2011. Preceding her in eternal life are her parents; her sister, Sarah Atherton, and brother, John M. Atherton. Those who remain to honor and cherish her memory forever are her daughter, Cornelia Yankovich (Robert), four nephews, and a host of friends. She was a life-long champion of many causes related to health and the wellbeing of those challenged with mental health issues.

She served as the Public Relations Director and the Coordinator of Patient Rehabilitation for Central State Hospital, collaborated in establishing the Kentucky Association for Mental Health and organized state-wide mental health committees.

In Eastern Kentucky, Cornelia and an RN rode on horseback to transport patients to the Children’s Clinics. Cornelia also chaired the fundraising efforts for the first mobile cancer unit in Kentucky.

Dawn fell in love with Wellspring and the work we do after attending the Derby Preview Party. She decided to get her feet wet at Wellspring by serving on our 2011 Derby Preview Party Committee and plans to stay on the Committee in her new role as a Board member. Dawn, who is a cor-porate attorney for Yum! Brands, will also serve on Wellspring’s Nominating & Governance Committee.

Trinity has been a volunteer with Wellspring for 3 years, playing an integral role on our Derby Preview Party Commit-tee. She is active in Humana’s Account Installation Volunteer Network, which has carried out several successful projects for Wellspring. For her participation in the Humana Day of Service in April of 2011, the Humana Foundation selected Trinity to designate $1,000 to the organization of her choice—and she chose Wellspring!

In Tribute to Cornelia Atherton Serpell:

Wellspring Honorary Board Member and Community Mental Health Advocate

She served on numerous boards and councils, including: Wellspring, Visiting Nurses Association, the Council for Health Services, the Kentucky Advisory Council for Mental Health, the Commission on Aging, the State Board of Medical Licensure, and the Kentucky Legislature Ethics Commission.

She received many awards of merit, including: Louisville Collegiate School’s first Distinguished Alumna Award, the Health Kentucky-Service to Humanity Award, the Kilgore Good Samaritan Award, and the Kentucky Association of Healthcare Facilities President’s Award.

Cornelia was a strong force in improving the lives of those in need; she lifted them up and gave them a chance. Courageous and steadfast in all facets of her life, Cornelia will remain a beacon of light and an inspiration to those who follow the pathways she blazed.

The family requests that gifts in tribute to Cornelia and her passion for improving the lives of those who combat mental illness be made to Wellspring.

To commemorate the 95th anniversary of her birth, a Celebration of the Life of Cornelia Serpell is being planned for early March, 2012. Details will be shared as they are confirmed.

Join us for an open house and holiday celebration at Wellspring’s new Administrative Center!

Enjoy light, festive fare, catch up with old friends,

and tour our new office space.

225 W. Breckinridge Street Louisville, KY 40203

(502) 637-4361

Parking is available on the street or across from Wellspring in the Kroger parking lot.

Dawn Franklin Croft

Trinity Campisano

Page 3: Wellspring November 2011 Newsletter

3

Pick. Select. Choose. How many times a day do we all take any one of these actions without even thinking about it? And how many times do we take for granted how fortunate we are that we can pick? That we can make a selection? That we really do have a choice?

In the nearly 30 years since Wellspring was founded, perhaps one of the most important things we’ve learned is that

no one picks to live a life with mental illness. No one who has a mental illness got to select which disease would strike them without warning. And no one really chooses to abandon their hopes and dreams for a life that brings daily challenges; to face derision from those who have never known what

it is like not to get to pick, or select, or choose how to manage even the most basic activities of daily living. But that’s what Wellspring is all about.

We help those with mental illness see that they can recover and lead fulfilling lives, even if different than what they had once envisioned. They can learn the skills necessary to become engaged, contributing members of the community, in spite of their mental illness. Does it work for everyone? No, but that’s why Wellspring offers an array of programs to support our clients where they are – in the figurative sense.

As we move into the holiday season, let us all reflect on the many blessings we enjoy and be grateful. And let us also look to those whose lives can be made immeasurably better, with just a little bit of help. We ask that you help us in whatever way you can to continue changing and even saving lives – and in doing so, change our little corner of the world. And that’s a great place to start.

With gratitude,

We may not have won first place, but our high level of participation still netted us a

$1,000 donation from Toyota!

And we certainly created a buzz and cultivated many new relationships

in the community.

Thanks to all who helped us spread the word about Wellspring and our services by voting on facebook and telling your friends!

Toyota Cars for Good Grants Wellspring $1,000

A Message from the Wellspring

Board Chairman

It’s easy to make a gift to Wellspring! Just complete the form below and send it to:

Wellspring, PO Box 1927, Louisville, KY 40201 I would like to make a one-time gift of $________________

_____A check is enclosed. (Make check payable to Wellspring. Please do not mail cash.)

Please charge my credit card: ___Visa ___MC ___AmEx Name as it appears on card:__________________________ Billing Address: ____________________________________ Acct. #: _____________________________ Exp. Date_____

I would like to pledge a total of $____________, to be paid ____monthly ____quarterly ____annually

____ Yes, please send pledge reminders. My employer, _______________________ matches my gift.

Donor Name: ______________________________________

Telephone: _______________________________________

Address: _________________________________________

City, State, Zip: ____________________________________

This gift is: In Memory Of: ____________________(name of deceased)

In Honor Of: _______________________(name of honoree)

To Celebrate: _____________________________________

__________________________(birthday, anniversary, etc.)

Please acknowledge my gift to: _______________________

Address: _________________________________________

City, State, Zip: ____________________________________

Take a Tour of Wellspring!

To learn more about how Wellspring impacts the lives of our clients and our community, join us for a brief tour of Wellspring program sites. We select different programs each month, so call or email today to register for one that most interests you—and you’ll see what a difference Wellspring can make!

Friday, November 11 Noon Wednesday, December 21 4:00 pm Tuesday, January 10 2:00 pm Friday, February 10 Noon

Contact Nancy Doctor at [email protected] or by phone at 502-753-1453 to sign up for a tour today!

“We help those with mental illness see

that they can recover and lead fulfilling

lives, even if different than what they had once envisioned.”

Page 4: Wellspring November 2011 Newsletter

4

On the evening of Friday, October 7, the Speed Art Museum was abuzz! To commemorate Mental Illness Awareness Week, community members came to view and buy art created by program participants and listen to a moving panel discussion. The annual event, presented by Wellspring, Bridgehaven, Seven Counties Services, and NAMI Louisville, drew its largest crowd yet – over 500 people!

The panel discussion featured the compelling stories of three special Louisville leaders. Wellspring’s own Community Support Specialist, Eric Cecil, shared a very personal account of his own struggle with mental illness and successful recovery.

Bertha Diaz-Story, Vice President of the NAMI Kentucky Board of Directors and Secretary of NAMI Louisville’s Board, shared her experience as a family member of a person who lives with mental illness. Sadiqa Reynolds, Chief Community Builder for Louisville Metro Government and former District Court Judge, added a poignant perspective of losing a close loved one to mental illness.

This powerful discussion was facilitated by mental health advocate and WHAS11 News Anchor Renee Murphy. Renee also aired a special interview with Sadiqa on the afternoon of the event that took us one step forward in raising awareness of mental illness in the Louisville community.

The first ever Wellspring Wallopalooza Golf Marathon was a great success! On October 17th, 34 golfers spent a beautiful Monday enjoying the greens at Woodhaven Country Club—all while raising funds for recovery! Each golfer pledged to play 100 holes of golf that day and solicited donations to Wellspring for every hole played. The players stayed well-nourished throughout the day with coffee from Heine Brothers Coffee, a delicious breakfast from Zoë’s Kitchen, lunch from Chick-fil-A , and snacks provided by a supporter of Humana’s Account Installation Volunteer Network. And we couldn’t have done it without the eager help of volunteers from Gary Bernstein’s Sport Administration class at UofL and others who volunteered as part of Mayor Fischer’s week of service.

Wellspring Wallopalooza Raises over $20,000 for Recovery!

2011 Mental Illness Awareness Week Art Sale and Panel Discussion was the best yet !

Talk about tackling a “Honey Do” list – Wellspring’s house in Shelbyville got theirs done all in a single day! Thanks to a team of volunteers from Humana‘s Account Installation & SPAA Opera-tions Division, “We’re checking off everything on the list,” says Trinity Campisano, the event coordinator. “As part of our annual team building activities, we wanted to do something to benefit the community and we found Wellspring to be the perfect partner!”

Having lived in the Shelbyville area, Trinity was especially glad to have an opportunity to bring the benefit of the team’s skills and energy “back home.”

The good folks at Citizens Union Bank were delighted to support such a community effort by donating pizza for the hard-working volunteers, which made all of the nec-essary elements for a successful day come together.

While some of the Humana volunteers spent the day cutting back overgrown landscaping, weeding, and planting, others mended and stained the deck. Others headed inside to the residents’ apartments to do some painting and cleaning of carpets. By the end of the day the volunteers were exhausted, but the Wellspring residents’ homes were fresh, attractive, and safe – truly “home sweet home!”

Humana & Citizens Union Bank Join Forces at Shelbyville Site

Humana's Jeff Layman with CUB's VP Veronica Cantrell-May

Humana volunteers off their caps in tribute to the completion of a great project!

Wellspring thanks our sponsors!

Bob Haysley, Janet Massey & Family Cutia Brown

Robert Hatfield George Rapp

Humana AI Volunteer Network ResCare

Melissa Routt Jackie Swigart Jeff Yussman

Page 5: Wellspring November 2011 Newsletter

5

We need a few “Angels” from organizations, companies, groups or individuals to help make the holidays enjoyable and memorable for Wellspring’s clients. There are a variety of ways to help!

Holiday Gifts…for Wellspring’s residents. Just 2 gifts per resident (one in the $20-$30 range and one in the $8-$10 range) will make a real difference in someone’s life. To make the shopping quick and easy, we will provide a “Wish List” from each resident, complete with sizes, etc.

Holiday Dinner… Several of Wellspring’s houses need sponsors for their holiday dinners. Donations such as Kroger, WalMart, Sam’s Club, ValuMart gift certificates (to purchase meat, fresh produce, perishables, etc.), canned and frozen goods, desserts, napkins, and decorations will help assure that everyone enjoys a special holiday celebration.

And Stockings to hang by the chimney with care…Residents always delight in receiving a stocking filled with fruit, nuts, candies, toiletries and other goodies for the holidays. You may adopt one or more of our houses (3 -13 residents each) to supply filled holiday stockings.

It’s Easy to be a Wellspring “Angel”– Do it today! Just contact Melissa Kratzer, Development Manager, at (502) 753-1457 or [email protected].

The advantages of moving Wellspring’s administrative staff under one roof are numerous – but chief among them is that we now have the ability to host onsite Board and committee meetings, utilize interns and community service volunteers, provide staff training and educational seminars, and offer skill development classes for our clients and their families.

In just the few short months since the move was completed, our new facilities have measurably increased our agency’s effectiveness and efficiency. But furnishing this space presented a budget challenge that Wellspring could not meet without some help.

Fortunately, the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels and the Woman’s Club of Louisville stepped up to meet the need by awarding

grant funds to cover the purchase of new highly durable tables and chairs that allow great flexibility in configuration, and can be easily stored.

We’re excited about the possibilities we now envision, and offer our greatest thanks to these two community organizations for supporting Wellspring’s efforts to make the dream of recovery become a reality for many of the persons we serve.

Generous Grants Make Board

& Training Room a Reality

There is a limited-time opportunity for donors to benefit themselves as well as Wellspring via the Endow Kentucky Tax Credit. This incentive provides an income tax credit that may be up to 20% of a contribution made in 2011 and 2012 with a maximum credit of $10,000. Parameters are:

Donors must be Kentucky residents and pay Kentucky income tax.

Gifts must be made through a permanent endowment fund at a community foundation and designated for Wellspring or another Kentucky charity.

Donors must apply for the tax credit prior to making the gift; there are 2 application windows per year, and up to $500,000 is available in Kentucky each year.

For more information on how the Endow KY Tax Credit can benefit you, please contact The Community Foundation of Louisville at (502) 585-4649; they will be happy to assist in your philanthropic efforts!

Wellspring’s Holiday

Wish List

Wellspring Board Member Bob Bordogna (left) and Executive Director Kathy Dobbins (right) receive a grant from General Paul Schulte, a member of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels Board of Trustees

Page 6: Wellspring November 2011 Newsletter

6

Louisville Metro Mayor Greg Fischer has

openly expressed his belief that local agen-

cies oftentimes do their work in more effec-

tive, efficient ways than traditional service

delivery systems. Demonstrating his interest

in seeing examples of his tenet firsthand, he

recently toured a variety of Wellspring sites.

At the David J. Block Center, he saw how

clients in acute psychiatric episodes achieve

stabilization and avoid hospitalization. At the

other end of the spectrum, he spent time

visiting with a Wellspring participant who had recently moved from a congregate living

site into a new apartment and is negotiating the challenges of managing his own hous-

ing. A quick stop along the drive allowed him to see the Wellspring Bridge apartments,

an Independent Housing site that provides tenants a permanent home base for their

journey of recovery. He was also able to see

one of Wellspring’s future projects, the Tonini

Apartments; this site will provide additional

independent housing for twelve residents,

and is targeted for completion in 2013.

Wrapping up his tour at Wellspring’s new

Administrative Center, Mayor Fischer

applauded Wellspring’s commitment to an

underserved and too often stigmatized

population and commended the innovative

ways we work to achieve our mission.

Mayor Greg Fischer Visits Wellspring!

wellspring www.wellspringky.org

Administrative Center 225 W. Breckinridge Street Telephone: (502) 637-4361 FAX: (502) 637-4490

Officers and Directors Jefferey M. Yussman, Chair Robert P. Bordogna, Vice Chair David W. Miles, Treasurer Cissy Mills, Secretary Meredith Brown Trinity Campisano Paul A. Coomes Dawn Franklin Croft William Friel Gregory A. Mayes Alan K. MacDonald Nancy Neill Margaret Pennington George W. Rapp, Jr. Melissa Routt Jackie Swigart, Ph.D Christina L. Terrell, M.D. Elmore A. “Ack” Willets, III

Honorary Lifetime Members Philip P. Ardery, Founding Chair Nancy B. Bell Roberta Fischer Rev. Richard H. Humke Clifford C. Kuhn, M.D. Malcolm R. Mathews, Jr. Bosworth M. Todd, Jr. John I. Trawick

Management Team Katharine R. Dobbins, LCSW Executive Director [email protected] Robert L. Brodbeck Chief Operating Officer [email protected] T. Patrick Rhodes, LCSW Director of Programs [email protected] Nancy L. Doctor Development Director [email protected]

P.O. Box 1927

Louisville, KY 40201-1927

Wellspring’s Mission

To promote the recovery of persons with mental illness through leader-ship in the development of quality housing and rehabilitation services.

Mayor Fischer, Wellspring Executive Director Kathy Dobbins, & Board Chairman Jeff Yussman

Wellspring Board Member Paul Coomes and Mayor Fischer at the David J. Block Crisis Stabilization Unit

Non-Profit Org.

U.S. Postage

PAID

Louisville, KY

Permit No. 1105