What do you think?
Rate this book
Unexpected Treasures: Running a Mental Health Nonprofit
Deciding on a career change, Rod sold his marine repair company, earned a Master’s degree in Integrative Counselling and started his own counselling practice. As this failed to provide full-time work, he was happy to secure a position as the executive director of a branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association. Dealing with an inherited staff of ten, a volunteer board of directors, union requirements, an unsuitable location, and providing housing services for 100 clients with serious mental illness proved formidable challenges. Two weeks into the job, he found the organization was on the brink of insolvency. He created funding by starting a thrift store largely run by clients with mental health challenges, started a homeless outreach service funded by BC Housing, trained clients to be stand-up comics for a large fundraiser in a downtown Vancouver hotel and started two annual fundraising events. Encouraging clients to help in resolving the financial crisis proved key to balancing the books. In 2012, eight years after starting the thrift store, it netted $100,000 in profit and was still running at the time of writing this book.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 16, 2020
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 23, 2021
Hope for better quality of life for those suffering from mental health illness
Rod Baker has delivered a poignant and human story of bringing a nonprofit mental health agency from near-death to health and success. The openness and humour of his many anecdotes create amusement as well a deep sympathy for the plight of persons suffering mental illness. Baker's gift of inspiring the agency staff to empower clients in the organization's transition residences to reclaim self-esteem and learn to take control of their lives.
Baker's writing is a must-read for all who are concerned about those suffering mental illness to learn how it's possible to bring about positive improvements in attitudes about mental illness and ways to increase the quality of life of those who must struggle with its challenges. This book is not fiction, but I could not put it down.
Rod Baker has delivered a poignant and human story of bringing a nonprofit mental health agency from near-death to health and success. The openness and humour of his many anecdotes create amusement as well a deep sympathy for the plight of persons suffering mental illness. Baker's gift of inspiring the agency staff to empower clients in the organization's transition residences to reclaim self-esteem and learn to take control of their lives.
Baker's writing is a must-read for all who are concerned about those suffering mental illness to learn how it's possible to bring about positive improvements in attitudes about mental illness and ways to increase the quality of life of those who must struggle with its challenges. This book is not fiction, but I could not put it down.
November 30, 2020
It’s taken me a long time to think of what to say about this book. I love it so much I can’t seem to find the words that would do it justice.
Rod, in his 50s, has completed his counseling degree and gets a job at the local mental health nonprofit. On his first day at work, he finds out his new employer is going bankrupt and probably can’t even pay his salary. Talk about a plot twist! Thanks to some creative thinking as well as the problem-solving mentality honed by decades of running a boat repair shop, he sets about getting the nonprofit back to its feet. His descriptions of the adventures along the way were absolutely hilarious. How to start a thrift store from scratch? How to fend off dumpster divers? What happens when the nonprofit's clients decide to train as standup comedians?
In addition to the fun and uplifting stories about saving the business and helping people who are living with mental illness, the book also touches on heartbreaking themes. Rod talks about the death of his son, dealing with the ageing of his mother, and reaching retirement age himself. He has an incredible talent for humorous writing, but it’s the way he writes about the grief and goodbyes that truly made this book special. It could have been just a collection of funny anecdotes and it would have been great, but it’s more than that. I can't describe it. I can only say the book made me laugh and cry, and I closed it with a happy smile.
If you’re like me and you enjoy memoirs, I highly recommend reading everything Rod Baker has written, but if you only have time for ONE book, read this one.
I was privileged to be a beta reader for this book, and I voluntarily decided to write a review.
Rod, in his 50s, has completed his counseling degree and gets a job at the local mental health nonprofit. On his first day at work, he finds out his new employer is going bankrupt and probably can’t even pay his salary. Talk about a plot twist! Thanks to some creative thinking as well as the problem-solving mentality honed by decades of running a boat repair shop, he sets about getting the nonprofit back to its feet. His descriptions of the adventures along the way were absolutely hilarious. How to start a thrift store from scratch? How to fend off dumpster divers? What happens when the nonprofit's clients decide to train as standup comedians?
In addition to the fun and uplifting stories about saving the business and helping people who are living with mental illness, the book also touches on heartbreaking themes. Rod talks about the death of his son, dealing with the ageing of his mother, and reaching retirement age himself. He has an incredible talent for humorous writing, but it’s the way he writes about the grief and goodbyes that truly made this book special. It could have been just a collection of funny anecdotes and it would have been great, but it’s more than that. I can't describe it. I can only say the book made me laugh and cry, and I closed it with a happy smile.
If you’re like me and you enjoy memoirs, I highly recommend reading everything Rod Baker has written, but if you only have time for ONE book, read this one.
I was privileged to be a beta reader for this book, and I voluntarily decided to write a review.
June 14, 2023
When is a thrift shop, not a thrift shop? Answer: when it’s an agent for social change and personal empowerment.
If you have ever believed that one person can’t make a difference, you should read this book!
Of course, Rod didn’t do it alone, but he was the catalyst for change by believing that it could be done. Leadership isn’t about issuing pronouncements, leadership is taking the time to explain your vision and bringing people with you. Instead of an automatic ‘No’ or ‘We’ve never done that before’ new ideas were examined and implemented. Rod didn’t sit in his office and ask others to do the hard yards, he did building work, furniture removal, property negotiations, rebuilt finances and even helped cook Christmas dinner for one hundred people.
A family emergency meant he had to take a sabbatical, and although he was promised his job would be there on his return, it wasn’t. The new ED reversed all of the ideas he’d implemented and left the situation much as it was before he’d started.
As challenging as that was, he found a way through and returned the branch to functioning. Told with humour and compassion Unexpected Treasures helps take the stigma out of mental health with understanding.
If you have ever believed that one person can’t make a difference, you should read this book!
Of course, Rod didn’t do it alone, but he was the catalyst for change by believing that it could be done. Leadership isn’t about issuing pronouncements, leadership is taking the time to explain your vision and bringing people with you. Instead of an automatic ‘No’ or ‘We’ve never done that before’ new ideas were examined and implemented. Rod didn’t sit in his office and ask others to do the hard yards, he did building work, furniture removal, property negotiations, rebuilt finances and even helped cook Christmas dinner for one hundred people.
A family emergency meant he had to take a sabbatical, and although he was promised his job would be there on his return, it wasn’t. The new ED reversed all of the ideas he’d implemented and left the situation much as it was before he’d started.
As challenging as that was, he found a way through and returned the branch to functioning. Told with humour and compassion Unexpected Treasures helps take the stigma out of mental health with understanding.
June 8, 2023
all these books are great!
I’ve just reached the end of reading through all of Rod’s books and I’m sad to be finished hanging out with him, it’s been a delight. Wonderful stories of a well lived life, and excellent writing. I have a much fuller appreciation for boat yards, mental health non-profits, and life at sea, thank you for this look into your life, it’s been a thoroughly enjoyable read.
I’ve just reached the end of reading through all of Rod’s books and I’m sad to be finished hanging out with him, it’s been a delight. Wonderful stories of a well lived life, and excellent writing. I have a much fuller appreciation for boat yards, mental health non-profits, and life at sea, thank you for this look into your life, it’s been a thoroughly enjoyable read.
August 12, 2020
I have given this book 5 stars because the content is full of varied interest and kept my attention throughout every chapter, although my favourites were the poignant personal stories. The author led a very conscientious, caring, and industrious working life in this true story. The same amount of care was carried over into the editing and formatting making an excellent and enjoyable read.
November 8, 2020
I was a beta reader for this book and I really enjoyed the journey we were taken on. It wasn't hard to feel frustrated, and triumphant, and all the other emotions brought up in this memoir. Really do recommend this one.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews