Our 13 Picks to Donate for Pride Month
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Time to read 6 min
Pride 2024 is here! We are very excited for what’s to come this month but we also wanted to take the time to point out some charities and programs that work hard to improve the lives of the LGBTQIA+ community. While the festivities that come along with pride, like the parades, parties, and unforgettable nights play a big part, we can’t forget about celebrating and lifting those up that stand for what’s right and fight for equality for their community day in and day out. Here are 13 charities/organizations that we think are great places to donate and support.
The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is an incredible nonprofit, who’s main focus is to suicide prevention amongst the LGBTQIA+ community and those that are questioning. Inspired by a short film, Trevor, made by the nonprofit’s founding members James Lecesne, Peggy Rajski, and Randy Stone, the charity started out as a toll-free number, the Trevor Lifeline, a 24/7 crisis service supported by trained counselors. Now they are investing in research about suicide within the community, advocating for litigation public education, legislation, and created an online support network, TrevorSpace, to keep the support going and assist with developing stronger connections to one another. These efforts have helped saved lives and fuel their mission to make a brighter future for LGBTQIA+ members.
Donate: https://give.thetrevorproject.org/donation
Human Rights Campaign Foundation
This foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that promotes human rights for all, no matter where you are or who you are, with a special focus on closed communities. Outside of the U.S., many people live under tyrannical governments, where their rights are severely less than in the states. They work on promoting freedom for those most at risk, including the LGBTQIA+ community. These restrictions can lead to lack of clean drinking water, food, health, free speech, basic education and more. You can check out their current programs on their website.
Donate: https://shop.hrc.org/hrc-donation
Point Foundation
The Point foundation just recently celebrated 20 years of helping the queer youth receive an education through scholarships and other educational services. From the beginning in 2002, where they started with 8 students has now grown to 574 in the 2023-2024 academic year. They help empower students to reach their full potential and earn a degree that gets them to that next step. These scholarships can cover tuition, housing, textbooks, and class fees. Point also provides mentors, leadership training, and requires community service training that leads to students completing an annual volunteer project that positively gives back to the community. This is a vital nonprofit, as the current rate of LGBT youth dropping out of high school is ⅓.
Donate: https://pointfoundation.org/donate/
Family Equality Council
The Family Equality Council assists those looking to build their own families and communities around them. LGBTQIA+ individuals and same-sex couples can still face discrimination and exclusion from becoming a parent. This charity provides resources and information on how to build their family such as: books, family groups, educational events, court case updates, and more. They are also advocates for legislation to protect parents, current and future, from discrimination. Earlier this year, they were able to raise over 1 million dollars from their Night at the Pier gala in New York City that will be used to assist current and future LGBTQ+ families.
Donate: https://donate.familyequality.org/give
National Center for Transgender Equality
Founded in 2003 by trans activist Mara Keisling, this nonprofit advocates for policy changes and developing an understanding in our society about transgender individuals and promoting their acceptance. In their mission they work to, “replace disrespect, discrimination, and violence with empathy, opportunity, and justice”. They have multiple projects running currently, involving racial justice, legal services, and promoting equality for transgender community members and their families. They also break down the legal rights the community has and self-help guides for further support.
Donate:https://secure.transequality.org/site/Donation
SAGE
Challenges can morph and change throughout our lives, and this is no different, and usually even more difficult for older members of the LGBTQIA+ community. This can include assisted living facilities, accessing senior care, and finding support in general. SAGE is one of the few that solely focuses on this age group and that is why it was important to include this on the list. They advocate on the federal, state, and local levels to help provide support for the different stages of life in the elder community. Recently they have taken the initiative to scale their operations to more communities and are expanding leadership to better support their new organization.
Donate: https://www.sageusa.org/get-involved/give/
Out & Equal
This non-profit is a workplace advocacy group that focuses on equality at work. Their programs are worldwide and help members of the LGBTQIA+ community thrive and they partner with organizations to help diversify leadership and bolster inclusive, welcoming work environments. They also partner with executives and those in leadership roles to instill internal changes and incorporate best practices in their Diversion and Inclusion work.
Donate: https://outandequal.org/donate-2/
Center for Black Equity
Statistically, black members of the LGBTQIA+ community experience more discrimination and violence than others. The Center for Black Equality works to promote improving health and wellness opportunities, economic empowerment, and striving for equal rights. They are building a network of LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies across the globe, dedicated to achieving equality for all through economic, health, and social equity. They have a multitude of programs including DC and Philadelphia Black Pride, Public Policy Network that works to improve public policy impacting black LGBTQIA+ communities, across the U.S., the Ron Simmons Leadership Institute that helps develop leadership skills and career growth opportunities, and the Center for Black Equity Alabama and Baltimore.
Donate: https://centerforblackequity.org/donate
Trans Lifeline
A lifeline is extremely important for those within the LGBTQIA+ community, and the Trans Lifeline is an excellent source of support. This grassroots hotline helps to direct emotional and financial support to trans people that find themselves in a crisis. Everything they do connects to broader ripple effects that are creating change within the community. They aim to reduce suicide and trauma, non-consensual hospitalization and medical discrimination, racism, xenophobia, economic oppression, isolation, criminalization, and ableism. It takes a lot to combat all of these issues, and every donation helps them get closer to their goal of providing a secure economic security and community connection. So far, they have answered over 100,000 calls and dispersed over a million dollars in funds since they started 8 years ago.
Donate: https://translifeline.org/donate/
The Marsha P Johnson Institute
For those that don’t know. Marsha P Johnson was the first black trans woman to take a stand at the Stonewall Riots for gay liberation. She co-founded STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries) with her friend Sylvia Rivera, where they helped homeless LGTBQ youth in the 70’s but had eventually disbanded. Fast forward to now, the Marsha P Johnson Institute has taken up the torch for supporting and protecting black trans youth of today by providing a community that creates a safe space to heal, develop leadership skills, and promote their own inner strength to reclaim their identity and their future.
Donate: https://www.marshapjohnsoninstitute.com/donate
It Gets Better Project
The It Gets Better Project is a global movement to uplift, empower, and connect LGBTQIA+ youth around the globe. Starting in 2010, the phrase “it gets better” became a rallying cry of hope for members in the queer community. Through media programming, educational resources, grants, access to community-based service providers, the nonprofit is able to empower those that need it most.
Donate: https://give.itgetsbetter.org/donation
Out Youth
Out Youth serves the LGBTQIA+ youth and their allies in Central Texas through programs and services that aim to provide a safe space to grow into happy, healthy and successful adults. Their mission is to give space for minority youth to safely explore the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of themselves as they come to understand their identities. Beginning as a support group led by two University of Texas grad students in 1990, Out Youth grew into a program that included a nationwide helpline that answered calls seven nights a week by trained volunteers before handing the reins over to the Trevor Project’s 24-hour service in 1998. Fast forward to today, their facility includes a large drop-in center, outdoor programming, the Jerry Strickland Jr. Memorial library and more.
PFLAG Austin
Established in 1994, PFLAG Austin is a chapter of PFLAG National, a US nonprofit that is dedicated to supporting, educating and advocating for LGBTQIA+ people and those that love them. The Austin chapter supports the local community through monthly support groups, educational events, fundraising and activism. They inspire to foster and celebrate the diversity within the LGBTQIA+ community as well as promoting respect, dignity and equality for everyone because we are all human beings that deserve love and support.