Housing and Residential Programs for People with Severe Mental Disorders
[MUSIC PLAYING]
JESUS "CHUY" CAMPUZANO: Whenever I take the train, I see homeless people sleeping on the trains. And I see them doing the same thing that I used to do. Having to move from one train to another. Being told, we will call the cops on you. I think that was my lowest moment, being kicked when I reached the end of the line. I felt like the world was ending.
I have severe depression. I felt that life was not worth living anymore. My friends, after I told them that I had a mental illness, they didn't want to know anything about me. They said, I don't want to be around you because I might catch mental illness. I'm like, OK. You don't want me here, then I'm out of here.
Christmas Eve, I got a call about this place. They told me, you're in. You got in to Buffett Place. You don't have to worry about your worries anymore. It felt like home.
All this stuff was donated to us—spoons, the forks, the plates. When you have a safe space you can call home and you have all the supplies that you need, it just makes it worthwhile. It really does.
SAM GUARDINO: Thresholds is Illinois' largest mental health agency. We provide lots of services to people who have serious mental illness. Buffett Place is a Thresholds-operated apartment building subsidized by the Chicago Housing Authority. The broad mission is to help people pursue their own vision of their recovery while living in a safe, affordable place. We offer social services. But more than that, we help people become part of a community.
JEDDA SULLIVAN: Hey, Chuy! How are you today, sweetie? Chuy, this is my oldest sister. This is Alice. Alice, this is Chuy. Oh, he's a lovely guy, Chuy. Yeah, I love me some Chuy. He is so funny.
[LAUGHTER]
Everybody's just like one, big, happy family. It's lovely. I do have depression. I had a drug addiction. I wanted to stop using, and then as I was in treatment, some people came out to visit me from Thresholds. Now I'm here at Buffett Place, and I love it.
I love my neighborhood. It's peaceful. It's quiet. It is so beautiful out here. Can I have two medium hot chocolates? Thing I like most about being here at Buffett Place, I don't have to worry about being afraid to step outside of my door to go to the store. I feel a whole lot safer. Yes, yes, yes.
JESUS "CHUY" CAMPUZANO: This is open art studio. Any member can come over here and enjoy some art time. For me, art is therapeutic.
JACKIE CALABRESE: This the only place, sometimes, you can express yourself, especially when you've been through a lot.
KELLY BAAS: Every different art form that we can offer is a different language. You got to find that language. If clay is the way you get your stress out, then that's your primary language. And so I think art therapy offers that.
JESUS "CHUY" CAMPUZANO: I'm thankful that I can just come in here. I de-stress myself, and I feel better. I did this because, I guess this represents what home means to me.
SAM GUARDINO: Everybody who has a place to live wants it to be appealing and beautiful, and you're no different if you have a mental illness. Our folks are talented in painting. We've opened up this opportunity for people to display their art, and it really took hold.
JESUS "CHUY" CAMPUZANO: This was done by different members. My favorite one, this one. I identify with it. He's free.
STACEY FICHTEL: So I know we spoke the other day about sitting down and doing your budget, with the holidays coming up.
JESUS "CHUY" CAMPUZANO: Woot, woot!
STACEY FICHTEL: That sound good?
JESUS "CHUY" CAMPUZANO: Yeah.
STACEY FICHTEL: OK.
SAM GUARDINO: We provide the entire menu of social services to people here.
JEDDA SULLIVAN: They have nice doctors. They make sure I go to my appointments.
JESUS "CHUY" CAMPUZANO: I can reach out to the staff. They're always there to help me.
SAM GUARDINO: So what's it say here, now, Chuy?
JESUS "CHUY" CAMPUZANO: 1 and 1/2 cup of water.
SAM GUARDINO: Community support is all about doing things with people and practicing them with people. And then you want to add that to your water. We're evening the playing field so people can pursue the meaning in their life.
JESUS "CHUY" CAMPUZANO: I'm practicing making the stuffing for Thanksgiving dinner. It tastes good.
SAM GUARDINO: Do you think it could be something you'd be proud to bring?
JESUS "CHUY" CAMPUZANO: Yeah.
SAM GUARDINO: Absolutely. We're hungry for companionship. Here, we're trying to remove barriers to that.
JESUS "CHUY" CAMPUZANO: We all have busy lives, but sometimes you just need to pause and say, you know what? I'm just going to hang with the family, because that's what I feel like we are here, a family.
[LAUGHTER]
JEDDA SULLIVAN: This a day to be thankful. I thank the Lord for this day, for waking me up to see.
JESUS "CHUY" CAMPUZANO: I want to share something with you that I'm thankful for. I don't have to be out there looking for a home night after night. Some people don't have the luxury that we have. Let's be thankful for what we got.
[APPLAUSE]
When I first picked my room, I wanted to be looking at the train when I wake up in the morning. My self-esteem has grown, and now nothing can get me back to where it was. Hey, guys, did you guys vote already? Go over there and ask him for a ballot. I am running for president of the tenant council.
JEDDA SULLIVAN: So who I'm supposed to be voting for?
JESUS "CHUY" CAMPUZANO: Me.
SAM GUARDINO: I don't tell people what their life is going to be and what's important to them, but we do know that you can pursue so much more if you have a decent place to live.
[MUSIC PLAYING]