Programs

Friendship Club

This program gives people with mental illness a way to socialize, make friends, and learn skills to work toward recovery.

About Friendship Club

Friendship Club is a place for people with mental illness to come where they are safe, and the can enjoy fun and meaningful activities and learn recovery skills. This program gives people with mental illness a way to socialize, make friends, and learn skills to work toward recovery. We use donations to purchase and prepare lunches and activities for approximately 12 participants at a time. Examples of activities include:

Crafts and Gardening

  • Preparing paintings for display at the annual Capitol Showcase held at the State Capitol in October of each year

  • Painting small flower pots for planting herbs in the early spring
  • Harvesting greens and other fall vegetables participants planted earlier, cooking some for lunch, and taking some home
  • Unleashing amazing creativity to create decorative and useful ceramic items at Houston Hills
Events and Outings

  • Attending educational sessions on nutrition, physical activity, healthy living, budgeting, and other community living skills aimed toward recovery from mental illness

  • Attending Mental Health Day at the Alabama National Fair where participants’ arts and crafts are on display

  • Attending Art Therapy with various crafting, painting, and working together on many projects, many of which adorn office and classroom walls

  • Attending Peer Discussion Group as an opportunity to “blow off steam” in a calm, appropriate manner – this group is carefully supervised by our Program Coordinator to ensure discussions remain on topic and rules of order are observed

More Fun Activities

  • Preparing paintings for display at the annual Capitol Showcase held at the State Capitol in October of each year

  • Painting small flower pots for planting herbs in the early spring
  • Harvesting greens and other fall vegetables participants planted earlier, cooking some for lunch, and taking some home
  • Unleashing amazing creativity to create decorative and useful ceramic items at Houston Hills

  • Our staff and members of the Friendship Club also get to attend the annual two-day Alabama Recovery Institute sponsored by the Alabama Department of Mental Health and held at Shocco Springs, AL every April. This program is educational yet filled with lots of fun, great food, “yard” sales (all free), a talent show, door prizes, a watermelon cutting party, and a big dance on the last evening when they get to dress up and really enjoy. There is also a candlelight vigil before the dance, honoring those who have passed on ever since the last conference.