Ribbon Cutting Celebrates Years of Community Investment in Saratoga County's First Clubhouse Program, 1 of only 7 in NYS

(Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) – RISE Housing & Support Services hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for Homebase Clubhouse, a voluntary community-based program designed to help adults living with mental health challenges. The new program represents a transformational milestone in mental health recovery services for both Saratoga County and the surrounding region that resulted from years of planning, fundraising, and community collaboration.

Homebase is patterned after the successful Clubhouse International model and will empower individuals to build fuller, more connected lives by establishing meaningful relationships, shared purpose, personal choices, and opportunity. Membership will be open to adults with a history of mental health challenges regardless of diagnosis, income, housing status, insurance coverage, or participation in other programs.

"For many people living with mental health challenges, one of the greatest barriers is isolation, the loss of purpose, and the lack of opportunities to reconnect with their communities," said Sybil Newell, Executive Director of RISE Housing & Support Services. "Homebase is built on the belief that every person has strengths to contribute and goals worth pursuing. This Clubhouse will be a place where members can build friendships, gain confidence, develop skills, and define recovery on their own terms. We are incredibly grateful to every partner and donor who believed in this vision and helped bring it to life."

Members and staff will work side-by-side to operate the Clubhouse through a structured, work-ordered day, with opportunities that may include employment preparation, educational planning, creative arts, wellness programming, social activities, community engagement, and peer-driven support. Participation is entirely voluntary, allowing each member to choose the activities and experiences that best support their personal goals.

Earlier this year, the New York State Office of Mental Health awarded RISE $4.7 million over five years to operate the program. RISE also received $2.3 million in community development funding through Congressman Paul Tonko to renovate and expand a building off Union Street in Saratoga Springs to house the program. 

Among the project's largest private supporters were Sonny and Julie Bonacio, of Bonacio Construction, who contributed $200,000 toward the creation of Homebase. Longtime champions of RISE and its mission, the Bonacios have consistently invested in projects that strengthen the Capital Region. Their generosity helped transform the vision for Homebase into a lasting community resource for adults living with serious mental illness.

RISE also received a $150,000 gift from the Sarah B. Foulke Charitable Fund, administered by The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region. Named after the longtime Saratoga Springs resident and attorney, the fund is committed to ensure others have opportunities to overcome challenges, pursue their goals, and thrive within a caring community.

Homebase will house the Sarah B. Foulke Connection Center, a welcoming space where Homebase members can build relationships, access resources, and find the sense of belonging and support. Foulke faced significant mental and emotional challenges during her upbringing, and the Connection Center will honor her perseverance.

The Adirondack Trust Company and the Dake Family each contributed $100,000 toward the creation of Homebase, providing critical support as RISE worked to bring the project from vision to reality. Their generosity represents the strong community investment behind Homebase and RISE’s work to expand opportunities for adults living with serious mental illness.

In addition to the Connection Center, the renovated facility features a commercial kitchen, café, computer lab, telehealth rooms, wellness room, and recovery library. Together, these spaces will provide opportunities for members to learn new skills, develop relationships, explore employment and educational opportunities, and strengthen their role within the community.

“Clubhouses help guide individuals living with mental illness through recovery by fostering independence,  offering both educational and vocational opportunities, and providing valuable connections to support networks.“ Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said. “Homebase will help its members pursue their goals and build the strong ties with colleagues and peers that will help them thrive in the community. This program reflects our ongoing commitment to expanding community-based programs and building a stronger, more inclusive mental health system to support the needs of all New Yorkers.”

“I’m thrilled to join RISE in celebrating the opening of Homebase Clubhouse, a groundbreaking new program that will bring top-notch mental health recovery services to Saratoga County,” said Congressman Paul D. Tonko. “This program will serve as a model for mental and behavioral health support systems across our region and beyond, offering wellness programming, educational opportunities, employment assistance, and meaningful social connections for community members recovering from serious mental illnesses — regardless of their income or insurance status. I was proud to secure more than $2.3 million in federal funding through the Community Project Funding (CPF) process to help make this program possible, and I’m eager to see the role this new program will play in helping members of our community access the resources they need to transform their lives.”

"RISE's Homebase Clubhouse will provide much-needed mental health and recovery services for Saratoga County residents. This unique new program will offer mental health services and enable people to find a sense of connection and the knowledge that they are not alone in their struggle and that help is available," said Senator Jim Tedisco.

Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner said, “Compassionate communities are built by helping people feel like they belong. I’m so pleased by the overwhelming state support RISE has received for the integration of a proven model that helps adults living with severe mental illness. This new Homebase Clubhouse is more than a mental health facility; it is an investment in our community’s overall health and strength. It will not only help prevent crises before they occur, but it will also help more people feel valued, supported, empowered, and included.”

Set to welcome its first members in January 2027, Homebase is a voluntary, community-based program designed for adults living with serious mental illness. Rather than focusing on clinical treatment, the internationally recognized Clubhouse model centers on meaningful relationships, shared purpose, personal choice, and opportunities that empower individuals to build fuller, more connected lives.

Membership at Homebase will be open to adults with a history of serious mental illness regardless of diagnosis, income, housing status, insurance coverage, or participation in other programs.

For more information about RISE Housing & Support Services, visit https://www.riseservices.org/.