About Clubhouse

Friend's Clubhouse is a program where people with special needs get together, have fun, practice & maintain life skills. We focus on having social experiences where each day starts & ends with a big ol smile. We have created a weekly schedule with activities such as library visits, bowling, Karaoke & Movies. Crafts, baking & community activities help our participants feel needed, included & cared about. We access the community & have our own transportation. We encourage kindness, independence, manners, & positive social skills. We are privately funded thus creating an excellent quality experience for our participants & their families. 

History
​

A Little Background

Friend's Clubhouse was established in 2012 by Stacy Tyler.  This is her story...

Somewhere in my early life, I found my unique skills were my abilities to connect with the disabled population. Originally, I worked for United Cerebral Palsy supporting adults in group homes. I helped those clients become independent and live in apartments with targeted assistance. Eventually, I moved to the Jordan school District. I was a team member with the motor development staff., occupational therapist and physical therapy team. I assisted with the diagnostic kindergarten students. After many years, I transferred to the South Valley School. There, students received education related to job skills, accessing transportation and community resources. As I grew more and more committed to the needs of these young people, I became aware of a missing step.

At age 22, the school districts conclude their services for these individuals. The single option for this populations would be at a sheltered workshop where piece work jobs were available. Growth was minimized and the routine of simple tasks became their jobs. Access to similar friends and services were severely limited and only made available by the parents ability to connect with other similar families. With the amazing support and commitment of the parents, we designed an opportunity for these young people to connect beyond public school. It was never our intent to be driven by academic achievement but by the need to foster a sense of belonging, a purpose and a place where they could be the very best of themselves. Personal boundaries, appropriate behavior and respect became our goals. All of the friends developed confidence in appropriate behavior for groups events, bowling, attending a Disney event, seeing a movie or eating at a restaurant. And, accessing the library became a part of their schedule. They grew together to become welcomed customers with a reputation of being well behaved and appropriate.

This program has a 14 year solid reputation. It’s success lies heavily on the supportive efforts of the parents and my staff who have grown together. Even through Covid, the program was able to maintain a connection and with great joy, we were able to be together again. We have shared joys of family marriages, new nieces and nephews and the heart ache of loss.

The Friends Clubhouse is the embodiment of my personal career and success. My commitment to the happiness and purposeful lives of
these young people has known no bounds. I have attended their Special Olympics events, their church activities and dance recitals. Even on weekends, we keep connected through texts and messages. I can’t imagine a world without the boundless love and joy the special
needs population bring to all of us.

Stacy has recently retired but has the utmost confidence in her successors, Whitney and Holli, to continue the program and the vision set forth for many years to come.