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A Well World: Care and Share
“No man is an island.” “It takes a village.” “Love your neighbor.” Those are all familiar expressions that remind us how much we need each other. We need each other not just for our emotional health, but also for our general health. Dr. Daniel Morehead, psychiatrist and director of training for the general psychiatry residency at Tufts Medical Center in Boston has noted, “Not having […]
Community Involvement: Internships Serve Students
The Well is a community within a larger community. Local businesses, restaurants, churches, civic groups and educational institutes are just some of the neighbors who participate in the hope and stability of Well members. With this broader community involvement, members are able to experience a wide range of connections and soak up the care offered by others. Among the community groups mentioned above are the […]
Four Things About Serving at the Well That Might Surprise You
As our volunteers have found, serving at the Well Community is a uniquely rewarding experience. But if you’re still thinking about lending a hand at the Well, there are a few things you might find surprising. Below are four you should know if you’re considering becoming a volunteer.
A Well World: Party Hardy
For most of us, parties are routinely a part of our community life. We gather for birthdays, holidays, Super Bowls and major life events. We celebrate the people and memories we treasure most. We laugh and eat and visit and eat and chat and eat! Such gatherings are an essential part of belonging. They help us connect on silly and also sincere levels. Being included […]
The Generosity of Love
Although members of the Well Community often face stigma and rejection because of their struggles with mental health difficulties, at the Well they find a place where others accept and enjoy them. For some, the Well has been a place of friendship and belonging over many years where they have built bonds of companionship and mutual support. In short, they have learned how to love […]
Serious, Yet in the Shadows: Why Your Gifts Matter
Serious mental illnesses often stay in the shadows rather than take the spotlight in conversations about giving and generosity. Though these diseases typically get less attention than illnesses like cancer or causes like animal welfare, for those who’ve been personally affected, they’re issues that are front and center.
A Well World: Choose Love
I don’t get to watch much football these days. But a friend was telling me that this past weekend during the NFL playoffs, players on all the teams had the words “Choose Love” on the back of their helmets. The NFL adopted those words in memory of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the day that honors him. The phrase summarizes his quote, “I have decided […]
Wishing Others Well
Catherine and Nelson Downing first visited the Well Community about 15 years ago at the invitation of a friend who regularly volunteered. “It was the annual Christmas party,” Catherine recalled. “At that time members submitted the name of something they would like to have as a Christmas present, and the staff would purchase these items with donated funds. The gifts were wrapped in bright paper […]
Well Wishers: Providing Stability for Members, Month After Month
Serious mental illnesses add multiple layers of instability to the lives of our members. Unsettling and sometimes unpredictable symptoms upend their routines and construct barriers that prevent them from connecting with others. For many, these conditions rob their ability to work, throwing them into ongoing financial struggles and, at times, homelessness. And, while treatment can help, these illnesses have no cures; for so many individuals […]
A Well World: Support in Every Season
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” That famous phrase sums up 2025 for members of the Well Community. There were many bright moments: retreats, Thursday Night Life, daily devotions, games, crafts, life-skills training and shared meals. Members found friendship, compassion and understanding—a rare refuge from the poverty, stigma and isolation that come with severe mental illness. These moments of […]