Caring, gentle-spirited and kind, 28-year-old Alex S. exudes an infectious sense of warmth and optimism. This didn’t always come easily to him, however. Alex has struggled with symptoms of mental illness for much of his life.
“I couldn’t function,” he says…
Hunting Valley, Ohio—(July 27, 2016) Hopewell, a therapeutic farm community for adults with mental illness, just announced that its 16th Annual Summer Solstice Benefit raised record-breaking funds, according to Richard R. Karges, LISW-S, ACSW, Hopewell’s executive director and CEO.
“Summer Solstice yielded over $300,000—a new fundraising high. All the proceeds from this event enable Hopewell to offer fee assistance to 95% of its families each year,” said Karges. “It was a great way to celebrate our 20thAnniversary as an organization.”
Over 400 guests attended the event, which was held on June 24, 2016 at the sprawling estate owned by Gretchen and Brian Colleran, whose foundation served as a Gold Sponsor. The benefit was catered by Driftwood Catering. Two barns overflowed with silent auction items and auctioneer Bob Hale conducted a live auction of exclusive experiences and vacation packages. The event chair was Mary Joyce and her husband, Peter, emceed.
This year’s event honored Hopewell trustee Al Kantra, Jr. and Hawthorn, PNC Family Wealth®. Hawthorn has been the Presenting Sponsor of Summer Solstice for all sixteen years of the event. Al Kantra is the Executive Vice President and Managing Director of PNC Asset Management Group. David Legeay, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of the Cleveland market for Hawthorn, announced during the program that Hawthorn will be the Presenting Sponsor again next year.
Highlights of the evening included personal remarks by Mrs. Clara T. Rankin, Hopewell’s founder. Cynthia Lauren, a former resident, gave a moving speech about Hopewell and shared her journey through mental illness towards wellness. Immediately afterward, the Fund-a-Need portion of the evening raised over $59,500.
Next year’s Summer Solstice is planned for Friday, June 16, 2017, once again at the Colleran estate.
About Hopewell
Hopewell is a 300-acre residential working farm located in Mesopotamia, Ohio, where adults with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression learn to manage their mental illness and return to independent life. Hopewell is the only therapeutic farm community in Ohio. It is ODMHAS-licensed and CARF-accredited. Hopewell is a member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the American Residential Treatment Association.
Information, tours and assessments are available by contacting Daniel Horne, clinical director, at 440.426.2009 or dhorne@hopewell.cc. For more information, contact the Hopewell Development Office at 440.247.0912.
Mesopotamia, OH—(July 7, 2016) Hopewell Therapeutic Farm for adults with mental illness is finding success with young adults between the ages of 18 and 35, according to a recent tracking study indicating success rate.
The announcement was made by Rick Karges, executive director/CEO. “Our staff is proud of the success of our younger residents,” said Karges. “They bring a level of energy and creativity we can build from. They help each other succeed and embrace an exercise and healthy lifestyle that springs easily from our farm environment.”
Hopewell is a true working farm. Residents and staff care for many farm animals, vegetable gardens and acres of protected woodlands. Since its inception in 1996, Hopewell has served individuals from 28 states across the United States and more than 80 residents each year.
For over 20 years, Hopewell has served adults age 18 years and older whose primary diagnoses are schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, severe depression or other forms of mental illness.
Outcome studies since 2006 have shown the effectiveness of Hopewell’s program, a model that incorporates a bio-psycho-social orientation to promote wellness and sustained recovery. The healing power of nature, meaningful work and community – along with a caring and highly qualified staff – have led to Hopewell’s unique model of mental health care that successfully promotes self-worth, self-confidence and greater independence for adults dealing with mental illness. In the past three years, a success rate of 75% was registered for adults under 35 years old, according to Hopewell’s 2016 study.
In reality, the “Hopewell Model” is a new version of an old methodology called “moral treatment.” Dating back to the early 1800s in Europe, the concept of moral treatment focused on treating individuals with equality and respect within the context of a healthy living and learning environment. People with mental illness are able to express their feelings and views freely, as well as participate actively in decisions affecting their lives. This basis of today’s “therapeutic community” resonates well with younger residents.
Within a therapeutic community, the community itself becomes a catalyst for positive change. At Hopewell, individuals with mental illness are able to heal and thrive within a compassionate, supportive community. As contributing members of that community, they build self-esteem and learn skills necessary for independent living after discharge.
At Hopewell, such skill-building is paired with comprehensive mental health treatment for maximum results. Hopewell’s highly trained clinical team provides a variety of therapies proven to be successful in treating a range of mental health conditions. These therapies include psychiatric medication management, group counseling, creative expression, equine-assisted learning and horsemanship, nature studies, meditation, spirituality, education (high school diploma program and GED preparation), money management, independent living skills (meal planning, shopping, cooking and healthy living) and interpersonal relationship skills. Job readiness is emphasized, and residents develop vocational skills in their daily work, which may include the resident-operated on-site farm and craft market and woodshop.
Ever-responsive to residents’ needs, new programs are introduced regularly, and staff receive appropriate training for each new program. Examples include Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a therapy especially helpful for trauma victims; art therapy; yoga; nature studies; a food management training program and peer-led group training called “WRAP” (Wellness Recovery Action Plan).
Additionally, the residents themselves often create new programs. The Hopewell Band developed from Hopewell’s focus on music. The group has produced two CDs and frequently performs for farm residents as well as at Hopewell’s annual benefit event. The Creative Writing Group encourages residents to express themselves through poetry, short stories and personal reflections. Often, their work is published in Hopewell’s quarterly newsletter mailed to families of current residents, former residents, donors and other friends.
Every Hopewell resident has a personalized goal plan known as an Individual Service Plan (ISP). Each unique plan is created collaboratively between the resident and clinician. The goals are visited continually throughout the resident’s stay.
The skills learned at Hopewell materialize into results that are tracked closely. Outcome tracking shows that residents who participate fully in the daily programming see progress in the treatment of their mental illness. These results include decreased psychiatric symptoms, improved interpersonal and vocational skills, improved level of functioning, increased cognitive effectiveness, decreased emotional distress and improved social and occupational competency.
About Hopewell
Hopewell is a 300-acre residential working farm located in Mesopotamia, Ohio, where adults with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression learn to manage their mental illness and return to independent life. Hopewell is one of only a handful of therapeutic farm communities in the U.S. It is licensed and certified by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and was the first therapeutic farm community in the U.S. to be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for Therapeutic Community: Mental Health (Adults). Hopewell is a member of the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) and the American Residential Treatment Association (ARTA). Research projects are carried out at Hopewell through a partnership with Case Western Reserve University.
Information and assessments are available by contacting Daniel Horne, director of admissions at 440-426-2009 or visit www.hopewellcommunity.org .
Following a hospitalization, 57-year-old Cynthia L. came to Hopewell in October 2015 at the recommendation of her family. The following are Cynthia’s words, as told to her clinician, Laura Scarnecchia, LPC. An inspiration to everyone at Hopewell, Cynthia has agreed to share her story as guest speaker at this year’s Summer Solstice event.
The 16th annual Summer Solstice benefit event will take place on Friday, June 24, 2016, from 6:00 to 11:00 pm in Hunting Valley. Proceeds support Hopewell, Ohio’s only therapeutic farm community for adults with mental illness. The event will celebrate Hopewell’s first twenty years of service and will honor Hawthorn, PNC Family Wealth® and Al Kantra, Executive Vice President & Managing Director of PNC Asset Management Group. Hawthorn has been the event’s Presenting Sponsor for sixteen consecutive years.
Known as a “Hunting Valley Block Party,” Summer Solstice will be held at the estate of Honorary Chairs Brian and Gretchen Colleran. Event Chair is Mary Joyce. Corporate Chair is Joseph Verciglio of BakerHostetler. Auction Chair is Susan Silverberg-Bewie. Special Guest Speaker will be Hopewell’s founder, Clara T. Rankin.
This unique benefit features exciting silent and live auctions that showcase unique experiences, getaways, antiques and collectibles. BidPal allows guests to browse auction items and bid from their smart phones. Dinner by Driftwood Catering will be served under the stars!
Last year the upscale, casual event sold out early, with over 500 attendees. Corporate and individual sponsorship opportunities are available through May 20 to be included in the program. RSVP deadline for individual tickets is June 10; these tickets begin at $225 and include parking, cocktails and dinner. For more information, to purchase tickets or make a donation, call 440-247-0912 or visit www.hopewellcommunity.org/events.
Hopewell is a 300-acre working farm in rural Mesopotamia, Ohio, where adults with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression learn to manage their mental illness and return to independent life. Hopewell is ODMHAS-licensed and CARF-accredited and is a member of NAMI and ARTA. Proceeds from Summer Solstice provide fee assistance for families with limited financial resources. Each year, fee assistance is provided for 95 percent of Hopewell’s residential clients. To learn more, visit www.hopewellcommunity.org.
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