[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 204 (Tuesday, December 12, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1209]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING GENESIS HOUSE FOR 30 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELISSA SLOTKIN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 12, 2023

  Ms. SLOTKIN. Mr. Speaker, today I celebrate Genesis House, which for 
the past 30 years has provided meaningful opportunities and hope for 
people living with mental health challenges in Livingston County, 
Michigan.
  Founded in 1998 in Howell, Genesis House is a program of Livingston 
County Community Mental Health and part of the evidence-based Clubhouse 
International model designed to improve the lives of those who 
participate by providing social support, education, and employment. One 
of more than 300 such clubhouses worldwide, Genesis House is so much 
more than a physical gathering space; it's a place members can call 
home. At Genesis House, people navigating life with mental illness can 
learn, grow, and develop the individual skills they need to increase 
their independence and continue their recovery. In this model, 
Clubhouse members and staff work together to carry out daily duties, 
with staff mainly serving as coaches, cheerleaders, and talent scouts, 
pouring their faith into those who may not yet believe in themselves,
  In addition to providing a place for meaningful social and 
recreational opportunities for hundreds of members, over the past 30 
years Genesis House has partnered with dozens of local employers and 
organizations to help members find and retain gainful employment.
  It's a powerful vision of social and economic inclusion, and one that 
I had the chance to see firsthand when I visited Genesis House in 2019 
at its Fowlerville location. There, as members answered phones, 
prepared meals, and tidied the facility, I heard how much the Clubhouse 
meant to them. I saw what a restorative atmosphere it was, and that it 
was clearly a community of people dedicated to walking alongside one 
another on the path to a better life, no matter how long it takes or 
how difficult it is.
  Recently, Genesis House returned to its Howell roots and took over a 
larger, brighter space with the capacity to serve even more members. 
The new location, where sunlight pours in through floor-to-ceiling 
windows, is a powerful metaphor for the light that Genesis House shines 
in the community, and the glow of resilience of its members. As we mark 
30 years of success for Genesis House, I salute all those who have 
supported this organization along the way, by fundraising, 
volunteering, and helping to spread the word about the organization and 
break the stigma around mental illness. I pay tribute to the members 
and the staff for the hard work they do each day to make this house a 
home. Long may Genesis House, a beacon of hope for so many, continue to 
shine in Howell and beyond.

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