Gateway celebrates 37 years of helping adults in the Upstate living with mental illness on 1-year anniversary of new Clubhouse

September 20, 2021

The nonprofit encourages the community to support mental health via its online registry.

For 37 years, Gateway has helped nearly 1,500 adults in the Upstate living with mental illness build relationships and gain education, employment and housing opportunities. This month Gateway also celebrates the 1-year anniversary of the opening of its new Clubhouse, where the organization’s members find acceptance, belonging and inclusivity – an antidote to isolation.

“In the midst of a global pandemic, the importance of mental health awareness has grown significantly, including the community that Gateway serves,” Executive Director, Randy Redlinger said. “Our new Clubhouse gives us many opportunities to safely engage in community-building activities that we otherwise would not have been able to provide for our members during this critical time.”

Gateway is a daily, non-residential program that helps members build confidence through social interaction and a structured day through the Clubhouse Model. Clubhouses are vibrant communities where meaningful work opportunities drive the need for member participation. Members are active with Gateway Monday through Friday, mirroring a traditional work week, and serve various roles, such as helping to manage the kitchens, serving meals and running an in-house bank where members can opt to have savings and checking accounts. Gateway also offers educational and housing assistance. Some members also pursue job opportunities through Gateway’s employment partners, such as the Swamp Rabbit Café.

In lieu of gathering for an in-person event to celebrate this milestone anniversary due to COVID-19 precautions, Gateway is hosting an online registry to help meet some of the non-profit organization’s current needs so it can continue to serve the community.

“We are continually grateful for the generous contributions of the Upstate community in supporting our mission over the past 37 years. The Clubhouse is another example of how local support allows Gateway to transform the lives of those we serve and make a meaningful impact throughout the community,” Redlinger added. “With the online registry, we hope to encourage the community to continue to foster mental wellness through the Gateway organization.”

The registry includes options to contribute to daily needs for its members, from transportation and healthy meals to emergency support and employment training. To learn more about Gateway or to contribute to the registry, visit https://gateway-sc.org/support-gateway/housewarming-registry/.

  

About Gateway

Gateway is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization funded by community donations that helps adults in the Upstate of South Carolina living with mental illness build confidence through social interaction and a workday model at the Gateway’s 20,000-square-foot Clubhouse. The Clubhouse Model is a community and evidence-based approach to the treatment of persistent mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar, schizoaffective and major depression.  Gateway offers opportunities to increase social and vocational skills, build relationships, and obtain education, employment and housing through the Clubhouse Model of Psychosocial Rehabilitation. Gateway exists to provide a light for adults living with mental illness and offers a place of dignity and hope in the community.