Congress is working on providing the next round of critical funding for states and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We need you to urge them to designate a nonprofit track within the next stimulus bill with funds specifically designated for organizations like your local LGBTQ+ community center. Will you call your Congressional lawmakers? You can find their phone numbers here.
Centers remain on the front lines every single day, providing life-saving programming to the LGBTQ+ community such as turning their spaces into emergency shelters for homeless youth, delivering hot meals to vulnerable older adults, and offering medical and mental health services including HIV testing, pharmacy refills, support groups, and counseling.
Click here to find phone numbers for your members of Congress. Then call them and tell them to support nonprofits like LGBTQ+ community centers in the next round of stimulus funding. Here is the message you can leave: Hello, my name is ____________ and I am a supporter of my local LGBTQ+ community center. Nonprofits like community centers are stepping up during this difficult time to continue to offer services to the LGBTQ+ community and beyond. There is, and will be for months to come, a critical need for the support that is provided by nonprofits like LGBTQ+ community centers. They must receive additional funding to continue their work, and a specific nonprofit stimulus track is necessary. Thank you for your time.
2020 Census: Every ten years, results from the Census directly affect issues of interest to the LGBTQ+ community. Census data is used to determine funding of social service programs for each state, including Medicaid, Section 8 housing vouchers, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Census data is also used by advocates to ensure they are meeting the needs of people in our communities, and by litigators to enforce civil rights protections. Have you taken the Census yet? It's never been easier to complete by phone, mail, or online! Click here to get started.
Get Out The Vote: The LGBTQ+ community includes people from all racial, ethnic, gender, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds. That means we are uniquely positioned to improve voter turnout and make a difference in election results. This year's presidential election has high stakes for the LGBTQ+ community with laws around anti-discrimination protections in housing, education, employment, health care, and more hanging in the balance. Nearly nine million LGBTQ+ adults are eligible to vote in the 2020 general election. But we still have work to do. Twenty-one percent of LGBTQ+ adults are NOT yet registered to vote. Help us get them registered by downloading and sharing LGBTQ+ specific social media posts and graphics.
Title VII #DecisionDay: Last October the U.S. Supreme Court heard three cases that could either take away existing LGBTQ+ employment protections, or affirm that existing federal law does protect LGBTQ+ people under Title VII. This is a pivotal moment for our community, so we’re inviting you to join us on #DecisionDay for a Virtual National Rally, followed by a Virtual Town Hall hosted by our friends at the National Equality Action Team. The rally will be a chance for us to gather together as a community to react and support each other, while the Town Hall will feature experts providing analysis of the opinion, how it will affect our lives, and what still needs to be done. RSVP for the events here.
*** The U.S. Supreme Court doesn't give advance notice on when they reach a verdict, so we won't know the exact date for #DecisionDay until that morning. Follow us on social media for the latest news.
