Genesis Club, Inc

Genesis Club, Inc

by Baer Foundation on June 16, 2016

Genesis Club, Inc was a 2015 Sidney R. Baer, Jr. Foundation grant recipient. Their members face an immense challenge in pursuing secondary education. The demands of managing a mental illness while keeping a course load are often overwhelming. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that 64% of students who live with a mental illness discontinue their education due to reasons associated with their illness. 50% of those students did not receive any mental health supports.

In the face of this challenge and daunting statistics, Genesis’ education program has been developed and enhanced to provide the specific supports their student members need. All Genesis Club members have opportunities for employment, education, wellness, social, and housing opportunities and at Genesis, members are guaranteed:
– the right to a place to come
– the right to meaningful work
– the right to meaningful relationships
– the right to a place to return

The cornerstone is Genesis Club’s success extensive outreach. It is done in person, over the phone, by email, and through Facebook. They do not simply ask “How are you doing?” The out reach is conversation and designed to uncover issues that may be below the surface and address them before they cause an interruption. In 2014, Genesis Club’s outreach included 59 on campus visits to 103 students.

In 2015, Genesis Club’s students completed their semester at a rate of 87%. In the Spring of 2015, only  one Genesis student out of 43 dropped out. Their highest completion rate on record. In the end, 70 total students completed semesters in 2015.