Pledge to support New York City’s LGBT community this year. There are countless service groups and activists who will appreciate your contribution. Here are some organizations that are worth your time and energy.
The Ali Forney Center
The Ali Forney Center is a 501 (c) (3) that supports homeless LGBT youth between the ages of 16 and 24. Its Day Center, located in Chelsea, offers children everything from food and HIV testing to job assistance and medical care. The nonprofit organization is perhaps best known for its emergency and transitional housing, and it also operates counseling and education programs for families. In addition to making a tax-deductible donation, AFC accepts gifts of toiletries, bedding, interview-appropriate used clothing, and other items, and welcomes volunteers to participate in meal preparation, workshops, and tutorials.
Callen-Lorde Community Health Center
Although its predecessors focused on sexually transmitted diseases, today the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center provides medical care of all kinds to LGBT New Yorkers, blind to need. In fact, $ 4 million in care is not reimbursed each year. Donations can be made online, and the money supports health services, as well as education and advocacy.
God’s love that we deliver
Ganga Stone and Jane Best founded Love of God We Deliver in 1986, riding bikes a handful of meals to people living with HIV / AIDS. In 2008, GLWD prepared 800,000 meals for more than 1,600 clients, feeding men, women and children living with HIV / AIDS, as well as cancer, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and other conditions that prevent them from preparing their own meals. These recipients live throughout New York, with some even beyond the city limits. In addition to accepting donations, volunteers can work in the GLWD kitchen, help with food delivery, and help with special events or administratively after attending an orientation and food safety class.
Instituto Hetrick-Martin
The Hetrick-Martin Institute provides a safe haven for LGBT youth during the school day and in the hours after the final bell. The social services agency is home to Harvey Milk High School, and conducts a number of extracurricular programs that allow children to express themselves through the arts, teach them about self-reliance and wellness, prepare them for higher education and employment, and even helping LGBT youth who experience domestic abuse. You may consider donating to HMI, donating new or gently used clothing, or volunteering, which requires submitting an application and may also include an interview, background check, and an orientation.
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center
What doesn’t the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center do? After all, it is the second largest LGBT community center in the world, providing social services, public policy, and programs dedicated to gender identity, outreach to voters, non-traditional family building, and more. Donations and membership keep the doors open, and you can consider volunteering at the Center itself or any of the grassroots groups that meet there.
