Support 500 LGBTQ Oregon Youth

In our last report we told you about our efforts to open a new youth facility. We promised to make it an accessible, safe space welcoming lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning and allied youth and young adults.

We did it!

On March 1st we open the Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center on Sandy Blvd in Portland, Oregon. This 2,500 square foot facility sports a large open space for games, social time and even has room for a good sized stage. When you face the stage to the right is the "drag closet" where clothes, hair and make-up are put together for Friday night shows. To the left of the stage is the "salon". This special place is where participants can get a haircut, color, style and sometimes just get pampered.

The facility has two counseling rooms, shared office space for staff, an art room and a conference room. We also ensured there was plenty of room for the Bayard Rustin Library and a cyber cafe. Finally, my personal favorite was a major renovation allowed us to put in a full kitchen!

We strongly believe if you're hungry you cannot learn and if you cannot learn you will not make good decisions. Having a fully functional kitchen with a food pantry (in partnership with St. Vicient DePaul Food Bank) participants can prepare healthy, nutritious meals and snacks.

We are pleased to report that with the extremely generous support of donors like YOU, Aaron, Kathryn, Larry, Michael, Hanah and many, many others the move was a success and the space is beautiful and functional.

Now comes the challenge of maintaining the space. Your generous support will help with day-to-day expenses:

• $3,500 per month rent (that's $875 per week)
• $200 per month for supplies (that's $50 per week)
• $50 per month food bank shared fee (that's $1.67 per day)
• $180 per month phone, cable and internet access (that's $6.00 per day)

Your ongoing support especially through our monthly donor program, Sustaining the Q, is essential to our continued ability to serve sexual minority youth. We sincerely appreciate your generous financial contributions. You keep the doors open to a safe and inviting world for LGBTQ youth and young adults. Thank you!

Sincerely

Barbara