Pride Month is here, and it is a great time to support the vital organizations that serve LGTBQ New Yorkers. These nonprofits keep New York City and State a more welcoming place for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and nonbinary people, in stark contrast to other places across the country that are attempting to restrict rights for their LGBTQ residents.
We’ve updated our Pride Giving Guide to highlight some recent grantees. You can support local arts and culture groups helping LGBTQ artists share their stories, those providing a platform for youth to advocate for their rights and build community, and, as the homelessness crisis leaves LGBTQ youth and elders particularly vulnerable, those providing shelter and supportive services. Your donation can help these groups continue to invest in the joy, safety, and thriving futures of LGBTQ people in our region.
(Also check out our recent spotlight article on Standing Up for Transgender New Yorkers to learn more about how some nonprofits are championing equitable civil rights protections for transgender and nonbinary New Yorkers.)
Sparking Advocacy and Community
Brooklyn Community Pride Center is the only multiservice center for queer young people and adults in Brooklyn. It offers health, immigration, and housing services; writing workshops; and support groups to the more than 3,000 people a year who come to the Center for help. It also provides specialized programs for LGBTQ young people to help connect them with job placements and mental health services, and to reduce social isolation.
Callen-Lorde Community Health Center’s origins date back 50 years, when it formed the nation’s first non-hospital HIV primary care clinic. Today, it is a mainstay for culturally competent primary and behavioral health care for the city’s LGBTQ communities. It advocates to advance health equity and racial justice, and has been a leader in providing services specifically designed to meet the needs of LGBTQ youth.
Long Island Crisis Center’s Pride for Youth program was founded in 1993 as one of the first support and outreach services for LGBTQ young people on Long Island. It offers individual and family counseling, health services, job training, and support and social groups for individuals to connect and build community.
New York Transgender Advocacy Group is a trans-led group serving New York City and the Hudson Valley that advocates for more inclusive and equitable gender-based policies through leadership development, community education, and research.
Championing LGBTQ Artists
BAAD! Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance is an art, dance, and performance center that supports and empowers artists of color, LGBTQ communities, and women artists. It is home to the Arthur Aviles Typical Theatre, a contemporary dance company, and provides arts education programs for young people, residencies, and annual festivals for its Bronx community.
Founded in 1974 in the early days of the modern LGBTQ rights movement, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo are a company of male and nonbinary dancers that perform satirical, playful versions of classical ballets in drag. The group tours globally, hosts an annual season at The Joyce, and provides free dance classes and workshops to LGBTQ older adults in the city.
Promoting Housing Stability and Support
Ali Forney Center was founded in 2002 in honor of Ali Forney, a transgender teen who was tragically murdered on the street. Open 24/7, the Ali Forney Center nurtures and protects LGBTQ young people experiencing homelessness. Its services include a drop-in center and food pantry, emergency and transitional housing, job training and placement, HIV prevention, and referrals to healthcare providers.
The Hetrick-Martin Institute serves 2,000 LGBTQ teenagers each year, 50 percent of whom are experiencing housing insecurity. In addition to being home to the Harvey Milk School, the city’s only public high school designed to provide a safe space for LGBTQ students, it offers case management, mental health and healthcare referrals, and a street outreach program to homeless young people.
SAGE (Advocacy and Services for LGBTQ+ Elders) supports LGBTQ elders by providing them with affordable housing and many social, health, and financial services, as well as conducting advocacy. It helped open the first affordable housing developments for LGBTQ older adults in New York State in 2019 to provide an inclusive and welcoming community and promote housing stability and healthy aging.
This list is not exhaustive. There are many incredible nonprofits helping make our city a better place for all; we are highlighting a few that may not be on your radar, but please reach out to our philanthropic advising department at info@nyct-cfi.org if you would like more recommendations tailored to your charitable goals.