A DAY AT TRAVERSE HOUSE: Success in a setting that brings people together to help each other

Feb. 7—TRAVERSE CITY — Several days a week, a Northwest Food Coalition van pulls up to 105 Hall St. and, no matter the weather, people will be waiting outside to help unload.

"Coming through," Justin Reed says, holding the double doors of Traverse House open for Vince Eaton, who carries in a box of fresh produce from the cold.

"Easy does it," Chris Greilick says from her seat in Traverse Café, where members plan, prepare and serve lunch Monday through Friday.

"I wait on people. I'll serve them their coffee. I like seeing people come in here," Greilick says. "I try to come every day."

Reed, Greilick and Eaton are among the more than 85 members of Traverse House, a community whose members experience mental illness and support one another as they job train, complete art and clerical projects, learn new skills and socialize.

Traverse House is nationally accredited by Clubhouse International, a New York City-based nonprofit advocating for people with mental illness to achieve their social, financial, educational and vocational goals.

While social programs may come and go; Clubhouse has endured.

Officially founded nationally in the late 1980s or early 1990s, locally a version of Traverse House has operated for at least that long.

"Isolation is not the answer to mental illness," a mission statement on the now international organization's website reads.

This same idea interpreted by Greilick is more joyful — "I just like talking to people."

Traverse House Director Hannah Driver said she sees success every day in the daily lives of members, but also in the numbers.

In 2023, Traverse House gained 11 members, provided 10 YMCA scholarship memberships, supported four members who furthered their education, began working with two new employers (Bay Bread and Meijer Inc.), hosted two employment and education dinners and one fundraiser.

Other area businesses that have employed Traverse House members include Northwestern Michigan College's Hagerty Center, Right Brain Brewery, Grand Traverse Industries and Little Caesars Pizza.

Membership is voluntary, and while Traverse House is financially supported by Northern Lakes Community Mental Health Authority, it is a separate entity and members do not need to receive services from Northern Lakes to join.

"Our net is quite wide as to who we can serve," Driver said. "As long as someone can be independent in this space, we're here."

Members are included in decision-making about Traverse House operations and about their role. They choose how much or how little to participate, which goals to prioritize and how to achieve them.

But Driver said Traverse House is not a casual-only drop-in center and there is no child care available.

"Consistency is really important when you have a mental illness," Driver says. "So we are able to have a routine, have a schedule — it helps to have that structure in place."

Members are expected to keep to a "work-ordered day," whether that means greeting arrivals, preparing food, updating and organizing records, helping set or review policies or even distributing bus passes — which member Trevor "Gus" Gustafson is sometimes in charge of.

Gustafson said he enjoys volunteering in the clerical area, getting information to people and directing them to what they need.

"I just like being here," Gustafson said. "I like helping. I like doing good for people."

The facility is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, one Saturday a month and limited hours on holidays, but it's not all work.

At Traverse House, there is a social and recreation calendar listing activities for evenings and weekends — Pizza night at The Filling Station, for example, or a visit to a member who is temporarily homebound.

Driver said there are more accredited clubhouses in Michigan than any other state. Of the approximately 330 clubs in more than 30 countries, 200 are in the U.S. and about 40 are in Michigan.

"We're really lucky our coalition is strong. We do a lot of work with other clubhouses around the state and our advocacy is strong with DHHS," Driver said of Traverse House's relationship with the state's Department of Health and Human Services.

The success of clubhouse is a bright spot in the state's response to mental illness, considering results of a study by the University of Wisconsin's Population Health Institute, which ranked Michigan 35th in mental well-being.

The study analyzed the mental and physical well-being of residents in all 50 states, an index that includes statistics on income, frequency of mental distress, access to physical activities and population.

Michigan scored 48.2 out of a possible 100; Hawaii scored 91.4, West Virginia scored 5.6.

Michiganders struggle with more poor mental health days than the average American, with residents experiencing bouts of frequent mental distress 21.4 percent longer than the median for other U.S. residents, the study found.

Some Traverse House members live independently, others live in adult foster care homes, some live with family or in income-based apartments, Driver said, but housing is a challenge for some.

Traverse House works with Safe Harbor, Northwest Michigan Supportive Housing and Goodwill Inn's street outreach team.

"We do have some members without housing, that is our biggest barrier to stabilization, the lack of adequate housing that is affordable in Traverse City," she said.

Of Traverse House's 85-plus members, about nine do not have housing, Driver said.

That's an uptick. In 2022, only two members did not have housing, Driver said.

Traverse House accepts financial support, which helps fund regular programs and activities as well as a food pantry, needed supplies and other expenses.

"When someone gets connected with clubhouse, their quality of life drastically improves," Driver said. "They're able to create a social network around themselves, have a structure and we really see them work toward their goals."

A member's goal might be getting out of the house one day a week, or it might be interviewing for a job.

Reed said his life has been better since joining.

"It might seem like a small step, working toward something, but for someone who has mental illness, it's a very large leap," Reed said.