Well Community: A Place to Belong
Vision
We envision a world free of stigma where stability is possible for those living with mental illnesses.
Mission
The Well Community provides hope and stability to adults living with mental illnesses through healthy relationships, essential services and meaningful activities.
Philosophy
The Well Community serves alongside those who struggle with mental illness, offering hope and healing through the power of faith, friendship and life-skills training. What started as a simple, church outreach to a handful of individuals has grown into a flourishing, holistic ministry among adults living with serious mental illnesses. The Well’s philosophy of care and holistic rehabilitation combine to make a significant impact upon those we serve.
Faith
Despite the Well’s growth, we continue to function as a worshiping community. Our very name comes from the Gospel of John (chapter 4), in which Jesus encounters the Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob. Like Christ, the Well Community seeks to offer those who are thirsty a cup of the “living water.” In doing so, we follow Christ’s example and reject the stigma surrounding those God has called us to serve, breaking through the cultural and religious barriers in order to meet people where they are. Jesus accepted the Samaritan woman despite her cultural and religious identity. Moreover, he offered her friendship and the right to belong to the family of God. It is through this philosophy of acceptance and inclusion that we offer relationship and community to those who suffer from chronic and persistent mental illnesses. (Learn more.)
Friendship
For most, relationships are taken for granted. Yet with the addition of a mental illness, developing and maintaining relationships can be extremely difficult. The symptoms of mental illness—e.g., paranoia, nervousness, agitation, depression, etc.—work against healthy relationships and sadly, are often the cause of their destruction. Therefore, friendship has been a foundational value at the Well Community. We seek to offer a place of belonging for people living with mental illness, providing opportunities for acquaintance and companionship. Our programming provides a place to know others and be known. Relationship is at the heart of every program the Well offers.
Purpose
We envision a community where …
- life, in all its fullness, is encouraged and imparted.
- people can truly belong; where everyone knows everyone else’s name; where Community members are missed if they are gone for too long; and where all are welcome no matter their racial, socio-economic or religious backgrounds.
- people find help, experience change and discover answers; where destructive lifestyles, habits, addictions and compulsions are abandoned; and where wasted lives are retrieved and new beginnings are launched.
- life transformation and stability is sought with expectancy; where mental illness is understood with empathy and compassion, where each can progressively advance in their own process toward stability and all are accepted in the midst of their challenges.
- people are encouraged to reach their full potential; where individuals are empowered through healthy relationships; where laughter and good fun are infused in every activity; and where Community members are invited to be actively and personally involved in the organizational life of the community.
- God is worshiped joyfully and reverently; where his Word is taught; where prayer is the undergirding for all we do and for every initiative we take; and where all kinds of people serve God in various ways.
- the good news of God is the underlying theme; where grace is accepted and extended; where love for people springs from love for God; where joy permeates the air and where people are one in spirit.
HISTORY & HIGHLIGHTS
Founded in 2002 by Joel Pulis, The Well Community is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. While it started as a simple, church outreach to a handful of people, the Well has grown into a flourishing, significant ministry among adults living daily with serious mental illnesses.
Our services are primarily delivered through our weekday Community Life Center (CLC). Open Monday through Wednesday (click here for specific hours of operation), the CLC offers a restorative environment for people whose lives have been drastically disturbed by mental illness and need the support of others in moving toward health. Our members assist the staff as they work together to provide and/or access psychiatric, employment, housing, substance abuse, support and advocacy services.
The Well has an annual operating budget of about $300,000. The organization is governed by a board of directors. Alice Zaccarello is the current executive director. She was hired at the beginning of 2014, having previously served as the executive director for several Dallas nonprofits.