MIAMI–Nearly 200 business leaders, LGBTQ activists, and local community advocates joined the National LGBTQ Task Force last Thursday night as they presented The Miami Foundation with an annual donation that supports South Florida LGBTQ organizations. Russell Roybal, deputy executive director at the National LGBTQ Task Force, presented a giant check representing a donation of $262,769. The amount represents the single, largest donation the National LGBTQ Task Force has provided since its first major financial contribution to The Miami Foundation in 2005.
“The National LGBTQ Task Force’s annual donation helps support local organizations that provide critical services such as suicide prevention and awareness, transgender health and wellness advocacy, LGBTQ youth homelessness outreach, an LGBTQ youth drop-in center, and a number of arts, educational and cultural programs, among others,” said Roybal. “With this year’s donation, the National LGBTQ Task Force’s has contributed more than $2.1 million to The Miami Foundation.”
The donation is made possible by proceeds from the 2015 Winter Party Festival and the National LGBTQ Task Force Gala – Miami (formerly known as the “Miami Recognition Dinner”). Both events also help fund the National LGBTQ Task Force work to advance full freedom, justice and equality for LGBTQ people throughout the country. Rebecca Mandelman, Vice President for Strategy and Engagement of The Miami Foundation, accepted the check at the reception hosted at Bacardi headquarters in Coral Gables.
“We are extremely grateful to the Task Force and the hundreds of passionate volunteers and donors for their decade-long investment in Greater Miami,” Mandelman said. “As our nation turns a major corner on human rights, we’re privileged to help the Task Force champion this important change by supporting local community programs and the thousands of LGBT Miamians who benefit from them.”
In 2014, the National LGBTQ Task Force’s donation was able to provide 24 South Florida organizations with grant funding. These organizations included: The Alliance for GLBTQ Youth, Aqua Foundation for Women, Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education, Citrus Health Network, City Theater, Equality Florida Institute, Family Counseling Services with Switchboard of Miami, FIU Foundation MPAS-LGBTQ Initiatives, FUNDarte, Lotus House Women’s Shelter, Miami Bridge Youth and Family Services, Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Pioneer Winter Collective, Pridelines Youth Services, Reading Queer, Safe Schools South Florida, SAVE Foundation, Survivors Pathway, Switchboard of Miami, Tigertail Productions, Unity Coalition/Coalicion Unida, and YES Institute
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