The other day I came across an article written by News Times reporter and non profit advocate Nanci Hutson, in 2008, in which she explored Celine's reasons for starting Interlude. Here is an excerpt from that article:
" "She was a pioneer," said Interlude executive director Kathleen Deschenes.
In the late 1970s, when Karraker was seeking the resources to open Interlude, institutionalization was the typical treatment for people with mental illness, Deschenes said. The first Interlude clients were people age 50 and older who had spent much of their adult lives in hospitals. Karraker knew that didn't work, Deschenes said. Her daughter, Nell, diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1969, when she was just a teenager, was sent from "one terrible place to another," Karraker said in a 1998 interview. Nell died in 1995.
"Celine never followed the rules" while collecting what she needed to build the organization.
She did not want money to be what dictated how the agency operated, so she made sure it had diverse funding -- a combination of state and federal grants, private grants and donated dollars, Deschenes said.Despite such setbacks and the struggles of clients whose illnesses are so severe they do not progress as they'd like, Deschenes said the agency has never lost sight of Karraker's vision.
In everything it does, Interlude remains committed to helping people with mental illness live successfully in a community setting. Clients are encouraged to do what they are able to do, when they are able, she said."The cornerstone of Interlude's work is to instill hope in each client and to approach each individual holistically," Deschenes said. "
Interlude is proud to continue Celine's caring vision today, and proud to have supporters like you who care enough to help us change lives. Please continue her legacy and give a gift today. Thank you.
Interlude's promise of humane, compassionate care is rooted in Karraker's desire to find a better place than an institution for the mentally ill, Deschenes said.
