After Gaga performed at a benefit concert last night, the Robin Hood Foundation announced that the SCO Family of Services, a non-profit group that shelters homeless gay kids, got the most Facebook votes in Gaga’s social media competition, thus taking home the biggest chunk ($500,000) of the monster million dollar donation.
SCO is the most efficient non-profit of the five in the running (using the ratio between dollars raised and dollars that actually go to helping kids). 93 cents of every Gaga dollar will go towards setting up family-style living situations for homeless youth and working to bring together biological families that have been severed by rejecting LGBT children.
With state and national funding for LGBT organizations shrinking faster than Gaga’s theological credibility, affecting both rural areas as well as more affluent urban metros, we want to remind the monied sorts that there are plenty of worthwhile gay youth groups in the hinterlands that lack access to black-tie galas and benefit concerts.
Here are a few that could use some serious funds:
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
- The Memphis Gay & Lesbian Center, serving the community since 1989, has begun asking for donations to stay afloat. According to the executive editor, Will Batts, the center needs to $45,000 by the end of May. That’s less than five percent the money Gaga donated.
- The North County LGBT Coalition in San Diego hopes to open its own center and get 4,000 disenfranchised queers involved in strong communities. The group has already raised $7,400 towards the $10,000 project.
- Based in Washington, the National Youth Advocacy Coalition just announced that it will cease operating May 13. We called the executive director, Asha Leong, to ask how much money the non-profit would need to stay afloat. We will update you as soon as we hear back.
Know of any local LGBT non-profits in dire needs of funds?
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Red Meat
While we are at it, why doesn’t anyone donate to my non-profit organization in Florida? It must be Gaga’s fault.
jeff4justice
This is nice. However, why do we have soooooooooooooooo many LGBT groups duplicating the same objective?
Doesn’t it needlessly cost more to have countless LGBT groups duplicating the same goals, paying for an elite group of six-figure executive directors and there often lower paid staff (and un-paid volunteer force), paying for different web sites and marketing, etc…
I’m working on a YouTube vid on this topic. I think more groups need to merge and get ride of the high-salary executives and replace them with grassroots effort and global tech (like the kind that enables Grindr and Adam4Adam).
rusk
@jeff4justice: Well, in the case organizations like SCO, they have to be based on site where they will be helping the people. While there are some benefits to a centralized organization, there will still be highly paid executives (even more so since they have a bigger beuracracy to run). And it’s not like these “executives” are evil people driving Maseratis with donated money. Their pay should reflect the hard work they do. As they say, you get what you pay for.
Deb
In the case of Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center- we are the only option in 200 miles for homeless gay youth.
Our director would love a 6 figure budget to work with for this project – he is NOT NOT NOT paid a 6 figure salary.
Donations to MGLCC are squeezed to make every nickel count!!!
Liz
Jim Collins Foundation?
detroitmak
Ruth Ellis Center is the only mission specific agency in the entire Midwest dedicated to LGBTQ, (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-atractional, Transgender and Questioning) youth. The Center provides residential and drop-in programs. LGBTQ youth need helpers and advocates who get “it.” We get it. We understand their needs and help them find pathways to safety and independence.