Hobbies, personal interests, a job, and being engaged in the community are essential to stable mental health and personal well-being. The RISE supportive housing program, Supported Housing, provides the individuals in our program the peace of mind they need to pursue their interests and hobbies, volunteer, work part-time, or otherwise become actively involved in the community without the worry of losing their housing or becoming homeless.
Amanda, who has been in the RISE Supported Housing program for seven years, has a disabling condition which prevents her from being able to maintain full time employment. However, because of the services she receives from supportive housing, she is able live safely in her home, allowing her the security she needs to pursue her dream of writing for a living, maintain two volunteer positions, and be actively involved in her church.
Volunteering and working on my writing helps me feel as if I am contribute to my community.
I enjoy being involved in the community and in my church. I volunteer at the Friends of Saratoga Springs Public Library used bookstore a few hours each week. I am the secretary for the Saratoga County Citizens Committee for Mental Health, which is a wonderful way to advocate for others struggling with mental health challenges, and I am a lector at my church. Volunteering and working on my writing helps me feel as if I am able give back and contribute to my community.
I have a bachelor’s degree in cultural studies with a concentration in literature, and it has always been my dream to be a writer. However, because of my mental health challenges, I am unable to work full time. Being in supportive housing helps me feel secure that my housing is stable. Thus, without that worry, I am able to set aside time each day to work on writing my poetry. I have made it a goal to submit three poems each month to various magazines for publication. Before the COVID pandemic I used to read my poetry at Café Lena, which I greatly missed when they were closed during the shutdown. Now that Café Lena has re-opened, I am able to read my poems there again, which is very rewarding.
Supportive housing give me stability I need to be able to work-part time and it gives the freedom to enjoy working on my art.
Brian, who also has been in the RISE Supported Housing program seven years, has both a volunteer position and a part-job at Temple Sinai. In his spare time, he listens to music, watches movies and documentaries, and is an artist. He says that he is appreciative of the security that stable housing gives him – enabling him to work part-time and pursue his art.
Having my basic needs met through supportive housing gives me the stability I need to be able to work-part time and it gives the freedom to enjoy working on my art. I paint with acrylics and I write poetry. I don’t know if I will ever be good enough to show my art or publish my poems, but creating art helps me manage my mental health issues. It helps me quiet my mind and have something to focus on when I start ruminating on things and helps keep me from feeling anxious, worried, and becoming upset about things I cannot control, like politics, war, discrimination, racism. Art gives me an outlet to express my emotions, especially when I start feeling dark and pessimistic because of all the negative things I hear and see going on in the world.
Having a secure home keeps me on an even keel.
Elaina, who has been in the RISE Supported Housing program for three years, believes that knowing her housing is stable gives her a sense of security that her helps her maintain her mental and physical wellbeing.
Living in supportive housing helps give me a sense of purpose and a sense of self-worth. It has helped me evolve and become my best self. With my mental health challenges, having a secure home keeps me on an even keel. It gives me the opportunity to pursue avenues that I would not otherwise be able to, such as writing poetry. In the past, because my physical health challenges prevent me from working, I have had a very limited income. I was always worried about finances and a having secure home, so I didn’t have the peace of mind to write my poetry, but now I can. I appreciate and thank the supported housing staff for all their hard work and all the care, kindness, and compassion that they show to the residents.
Elaina’s poems have been published in a local paper in Vermont where she grew up. In 2013, some of her poems were published in an anthology called Hear Me, See Me: Incarcerated Women Write. Her most recent poems can be found in the Art as Therapy section of the RISE Blog.
I have the peace of mind to pursue my interests.
Tim, who has been in the RISE Supported Housing program for five and half years, explains that with the support he receives he is able to manage both his physical and mental health while staying in his own home and thus has the ability to engage in meaningful activities that he was unable to do in the past.
Since being in supportive housing, I have the peace of mind to pursue my interests such as socializing with friends, exploring my musical interests, growing plants, and refurbishing old furniture. My apartment is perfectly situated to capture the morning sun and grow my plants which brings me joy.
I have been sober and in recovery from alcohol for ten years. Living in supportive housing helps me maintain my sobriety because with the support I receive, I am able to manage my mental health and do not need to use alcohol when feeling anxious or depressed. Instead, I work on my hobbies, watch sports—I am a huge Yankees fan—listen to music, and socialize with friends both in person and on Facebook.
To see the wonderful furniture restorations that Tim has done, visit the Tim: The Art of Refurbishing and Restoring Furniture bog.