Eddie Fischer thought he’d seen it all. Now 55, the Pecan Square resident spent most of his teenage years and adult life struggling with emotional issues, unresolved trauma, and a seemingly un-kickable drug and alcohol addiction. Until he finally beat those demons 19 years ago to become the clean, sober, and once again happy-go-lucky husband, dad, and mentor he is today, the jury was out on whether he’d survive.
His journey has been described as powerful and thought-provoking to those who have heard it. Yet Fischer admits his experiences are nothing compared to the mental health challenges and addictions kids are exposed to today.
And if they like pizza and they’ll open their minds and hearts long enough to let him help, he intends to be the immediate solution.
“My high school days were wild, but the drugs are stronger now, especially with Fentanyl in the mix. The bathrooms at local high schools are also turning into war zones. Someone has to step up, and I feel like I’m very equipped to be that person at this point in my life,” Fischer said. He has dedicated his life to working with teenagers and adults in a variety of mental health, crisis management, and substance abuse settings in New Jersey, Arizona, and Texas. “I’m not the guy who will go into a high school and tell kids all the reasons not to do drugs—there are enough prevention non-profits out there who do an excellent job of education and awareness. I’m looking for the kids who are already in it.
“They already have challenges with connection, mental health, and substance use, and they already feel like there is nowhere to go and no way out. I want to take on those problems for them and offer the immediate solution.”
Fischer’s solution? His unique 501(c)(3) nonprofit, The How U Doin’ Foundation, and a soon-to-be-completed hangout space for kids ages 13 to 17 called The Clubhouse. With its future home in Northlake, the 5,000-square-foot space will be precisely what it sounds like—complete with a state-of-the-art pizza oven, podcast studio, ping pong tables, movie nights, video games, a quiet room requested by female high school students, and even a “rage room” requested by the boys to blow off a little steam productively. What you won’t find are sterile office spaces or therapy rooms. Rather, The Clubhouse is a unique place where kids can be kids again and quickly realize that it is possible to have fun without drugs and alcohol.
The free program, which runs six days a week, promotes the Foundation’s four pillars of fun, connection, discovery, and direction. Participants can make pizza and bread, launch their own podcasts, create safe social media, learn about entrepreneurship and what their future goals might look like, and even do their homework.
They can also access guest speakers, masterclasses, and experience trips.
These activities are designed to cater to all teenagers—regardless of their challenges. Fischer also doesn’t want to forget about the parents, who can oftentimes feel isolated during crisis challenges. Therefore, there will be specific programming for adults in a teenager’s life, including opportunities to simply get away for a date night or quiet time with no judgment.
At the center of it all is Fischer, whose easy-going and fun-loving personality has resonated with kids and their families and provided genuine hope in an era where mental illness and substance addiction are taking over at a breakneck pace.
According to local and national statistics on the How U Doin’ website, one in 10 middle and high school students readily confess to engaging in binge drinking. Roughly 32% of drug users admit to taking their first drug at 15. Locally, there are countless stories of kids sharing vapes in the hallways, going to the bathroom between classes to get high, and getting drunk or high on the weekends or after school. In one Denton County school district, there have been 240 suicide attempts, with five tragically completed.
These numbers serve as a devastating testament to the urgent need for mental health support and intervention.
“What makes this worse is that while there are rehab facilities and therapists available to help, once a kid goes to one of these places and comes home, there’s nothing for them to do. So, all that hard work unravels,” Fischer said. “I’ve seen the gaps in the system, and there’s yet to be an anchor in the community that can help before, during, and after an issue comes up. We want to be that mainstay.”
He added, “Having been born in New Jersey and raised there for 30 years, the phrase ‘how u doin’’ has meant a lot to me—not just because it’s fun to say but because I genuinely want to know how you are doing. There are so many options that are sterile and therapeutic, but you need something fun … a hook to get kids to come and want to be there.”
Fischer said offering something like The Clubhouse has been on his mind for a long time. He launched the How U Doin’ Foundation in the summer of 2023, and he and his team have already generated $80,000 in generous individual and corporate donations. The plan is to continue spreading the word through vigorous networking and mobile micro-events to generate interest and additional funding so The Clubhouse can officially open in late 2025 or early 2026.
From there, Fischer says the sky is the limit—for his non-profit and the kids who turn their lives around because of it.
“We want to extend our reach to help as many people as possible, and we’ll keep going wherever the need is,” he said. “I imagine I will keep doing this for another 15 years before giving it away to the next generation of leaders to make it even better and stronger.”
To learn more about the How U Doin’ Foundation, its future home, The Clubhouse, and how you can help or get your child involved in this wonderful setting, visit howudoin.org. You can also email Fischer directly at info@howudoin.org.
