10 May Arrowhead Clubhouse Opens Doors for a Fourth Day, Serving 1,500 Extra Meals

Did you know that in any given year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem or illness?[i] By the time Canadians reach the age of 40, 1 in 2 have – or have had – a mental illness.[ii]

Sometimes mental health and mental illness are used interchangeably but they are two different things. Mental health refers to a state of well-being and includes but is not limited to our emotions, managing life’s highs and lows, and our thoughts and feelings. We all have mental health and from time to time we will experience things that challenge our mental well-being, but not everyone will experience a mental illness. Mental illness indirectly affects all Canadians at some time either through their own experience, or that of a family member, friend or colleague.[iii]

The global pandemic has only increased the risk factors of mental illness. In 2021, Arrowhead Clubhouse found themselves simultaneously managing the pandemic, the fentanyl crisis, and extreme weather patterns, all of which made life harder for many of their members. During this time, levels of anxiety and depression rose across the community, and Arrowhead Clubhouse was needed more than ever before.

An Important Community Resource

Arrowhead Clubhouse offers support to people in our community living with mental illness. Established 30 years ago, this essential community resource now serves 235 members. They offer free healthy and hot meals, advocacy services, peer support, job training, free laundry, showers, internet access, and so much more. All of this is delivered in a trusting, safe, and stigma-free space where members can meet new people, get support, and build relationships.

In 2021, the Arrowhead Clubhouse received a $7,500 Responsive Community Grant from the Sunshine Coast Foundation to support the vital work that they do.

Serving Meals and Serving the Community

“Your funding helped us open our doors to the most vulnerable and disenfranchised during this very hard time,” shared Carey Rumba, Manager of Community Action & Engagement with Sunshine Coast Community Services. “This funding was central to our ability to facilitate the opening of the Arrowhead Clubhouse for a fourth day each week during this very difficult year.”

Being open for an extra day allowed the clubhouse to provide an additional 1,500 meals to members, deliver free First Aid and Food Safe training, welcome volunteers back, and provide 50 members with tablets giving them the opportunity to access online support systems in addition to the support they receive at the clubhouse.

In a recent member survey, 95% of members said coming to the clubhouse reduced their feeling of isolation during COVID. Furthermore, 95% of members stated that their quality of life had improved since attending. [iv]

Vital Signs Address Community Needs 

The services Arrowhead Clubhouse provides address many important community needs that have been identified in our Vital Signs reports. These areas include food security, homelessness, mental health and addiction services, and support for seniors.

We are happy to learn about the impact this grant has had on members of Arrowhead Clubhouse and are grateful to be able to support this important work being done on the Sunshine Coast.

Arrowhead Clubhouse is currently open Monday to Thursday, 9 am to 3:30 pm. When you walk through the doors are you’ll find something delicious cooking in the kitchen, conversation happening around the main table and the sounds of laughter, music, and tv in the hallway.[v]

To learn more about Arrowhead Clubhouse, visit them on their website, on Facebook, and on Instagram. Check out this great video for a glimpse of what they’re all about.

[i] https://cmha.ca/brochure/fast-facts-about-mental-illness/

[ii] https://www.camh.ca/en/Driving-Change/The-Crisis-is-Real/Mental-Health-Statistics

[iii] https://cmha.ca/brochure/fast-facts-about-mental-illness/

[iv] https://arrowclub.org/membership

[v] https://arrowclub.org/arrowhead-clubhouse-history

Looking for more stories about the impact our grants are having on the Sunshine Coast? Find great stories about community building, here.