PASCO COUNTY — Things couldn’t have been much worse for Ian Magnusson.
“I was living in a shed with no running water. No power. No electricity,” Magnusson said.
He really just wanted a place to take a shower, and that’s what brought him to the Vincent House.
“It ended up being my people and sort of became a second family,” he said.
Vincent House in Pasco County teaches people dealing with mental illness how to work and hold down a job.
Vincent House director Elizabeth Statzer says they help those with depression, anxiety, PTSD, bi-polar, and schizophrenia.
“It’s not just about getting a paycheck although that’s great. It’s not just about real work experience that we can put on a resume. It’s to see them bloom and their confidence grow and it’s incredibly rewarding,” said Statzer.
Ian works in IT at Withlacoochee River Electric, just one of many businesses that employ people from Vincent House.
Kimberly Brady works there, too.
“I had mental illness and I was in and out of BayCare several times. And nobody thought I was coming out of it. Nobody thought I could do anything. And I was told you’ll never be able to do anything,” Brady said.
But Kimberly says she’s come a long way.
“Just because you have mental illness doesn’t mean you can’t do something,” Brady said.
Withlacoochee River Electric’s General Manager David Lambert says it’s important for businesses in the community to show they care.
Hiring people from Vincent House also helps them get through a tight labor market.
“Vincent House employees are happy to have a good job and happy to have those skills. It’s a pleasure to work with them every day,” said Lambert.
Vincent House says 85% of adults with a serious mental illness aren’t working.
But people like Ian aren’t just a statistic.
“To get the opportunity and stability to be where I am now was without a shred of exaggeration— life-changing,” Magnusson said.
More on Vincent House at this link
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