Pride Month is here, and it’s a great time to support the vital organizations that serve LGTBQ+ New Yorkers. These nonprofits make New York a more welcoming place for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and nonbinary people, even as other states across the country attempt to restrict the rights of their LGBTQ+ residents.
We’ve updated our Pride Giving Guide to highlight some recent nonprofit partners, including those leading the fight for justice, agencies helping LGBTQ+ communities stay healthy and housed, and those elevating, amplifying, and preserving the rich LGBTQ+ histories of our neighborhoods. Your donation can help these groups continue to invest in the joy, safety, and thriving futures of LGBTQ+ people in our region.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center (The Center) was established at the height of the AIDS crisis to respond to the effects of the epidemic in New York’s gay community. Today, it is the largest LGBTQ+ multiservice organization on the East Coast, serving more than 6,000 people across its programs in the areas of health and wellness, substance use recovery, youth and family programs, and arts and culture.
Point Source Youth works to end youth homelessness, with a focus on young people of color and those who are LGBTQ+. It runs home-sharing and direct cash transfer programs, advocates to improve policies for homeless young people, organizes young people as leaders, and provides housing counseling and temporary rental assistance.
Stonewall Community Development Corporation helps New York City’s LGBTQ+ older adults find safe, welcoming, and affordable housing, with access to health and mental health services that meet their unique needs. It provides community programs, helps LGBTQ+ seniors navigate affordable housing lotteries, places families and individuals in permanent housing, and conducts research on housing policy. It also runs a specialized housing program for older LGBTQ+ veterans, the only resource of its kind in the city.
WESTCHESTER: The Loft LGBTQ+ Community Center supports LGBTQ+ communities in Westchester through programs that include social and support groups, health and wellness, social services referrals, and a helpline.
ADVOCACY
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. It has played an integral role in campaigns to make gender identity and expression a protected category under New York’s human rights and hate crimes laws, and it helped to repeal an anti-loitering law that disproportionately criminalized transgender people.
SAGE is one of the nation’s most prominent organizations focused on LGBTQ+ aging issues. It advocates for policies that protect and expand the rights of older LGBTQ+ people and provides a range of direct health and social services.
LONG ISLAND: Gender Equality New York protects the rights of New York State’s transgender, non-binary, and intersex communities by creating public understanding, influencing social attitudes, and advocating for inclusive policies. It advocates for ending discrimination and removing barriers to social and economic equity for gender non-conforming communities.
ARTS & CULTURE
The American LGBTQ+ Museum was founded in 2017 to preserve, research, and share the history, activism, and culture of LGBTQ+ people. It is currently being incubated through a formal partnership with the New York Historical Society. It will be the only museum in the nation focused on preserving LGBTQ+ history and culture.
NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project is a cultural heritage initiative documenting sites connected to LGBTQ+ history in New York City. It conducts research and advocacy, publishes multimedia content, organizes public programs, and advises on LGBTQ+ place-based history for exhibitions, publications, and other projects.
This list is not exhaustive. There are many incredible nonprofits helping make our region a better place for all; we seek to highlight a few that may not be on your radar, but please reach out to our philanthropic advising department at [email protected] if you would like recommendations tailored to your charitable goals.
