After learning the City Council did not allocate them any federal grant money for fiscal year 2012, four LGBT organizations have chosen to join forces and raise the money needed to keep their doors open themselves.
The organizations include: Stepping Stone, an addiction treatment and recovery service; Being Alive San Diego, a volunteer group offering services to HIV/AIDs patients; Special Delivery, who deliver meals to homebound HIV/AIDS patients; and Townspeople an organization that helps find housing options for people living with HIV/AIDS. Together, they are building a coalition called The Four Friends, and intend to raise their own money and split the profits so all four can survive.
“We can complain about it, but how does that help the people we’re serving?” asked Resource Director Tom McSorley of Townspeople. “We had to figure out something more to do. So we contacted the other groups and asked, ‘Why don’t we figure out how to work together?’”
Their first effort will be a sidewalk sale this Saturday, April 30, offering the excellent-to-good condition furniture and household appliances these organizations have been collecting in their basements over the years. Selling home and office furniture, couches, coffee tables, TVs, computers and décor, McSorley says the Four Friends intend to raise $5,000 by the days end. All four organizations will split the profits equally.
“There is a lot of strength in numbers,” McSorley said. “We want to raise the level of awareness in the community and promote all of the organizations at the same time because we complement each other.”
McSorley believes this is the chance for new opportunities where the groups can collaborate and benefit everybody involved, including the more than 25,000 LGBT residents who currently rely on their services.
“Lack of funding makes us scramble harder, write more grants, be more frugal and really, really tighten our belts – which was already tight to begin with,” said Ruth Henricks, founder and executive director of Special Delivery.
With less federal grant money to go around, the San Diego City Council voted March 21 not to allocate funding for fiscal year 2012 to Townspeople, which requested $84,000, and Being Alive, which requested $107,800.
Special Delivery asked AIDS Walk for up to $42,000 to help feed their 125 clients, but was denied funding because there were “too many requests” competing for the same pot of money.
“I was shocked,” said Henricks, who has been helping to provide meals to those affected by HIV/AIDS in San Diego for 20 years. “It was like a slap in the face. I would have taken $1,000 – anything to show their appreciation for what we do. We’re part of the backbone of this community.”
But Special Delivery received nothing, leading Henricks to take up McSorely’s idea for collaboration.
President and CEO of Stepping Stone, John de Miranda, says AIDS Walk cut their funding as well, starting last year. The organization, which has been offering programs in the city for more than 35 years, has received a lot of community support in the past. With mounting obligations, however, Miranda said the financial situation is becoming increasingly challenging.
“We’re willing to do anything,” Henricks said. She asks the community to help Four Friends sidewalk sale by either contributing goods to sell or donating money.
The sale will start at 7 a.m. on Centre Street at Park Boulevard in front of Townspeople and Being Alive. The items for sale will range from $1 upwards depending on the value; bargaining is encouraged. There will be live music from DJ Monique, breakfast food and beverages for sale, and an hourly raffle for prizes up to $1,500 in worth.
“There has always been a history of community support,” McSorley said. “We take care of each other and we try to take care of everybody because we understand how society treats those who are different.”
BEING ALIVE
4070 Centre Street
San Diego, CA 92103
619-291-1400
beingalivelearningcenter.org
STEPPING STONE
3767 Central Ave.
San Diego, CA 92105
619-278-0777
steppingstonesd.org
SPECIAL DELIVERY
4021 Goldfinch Street
San Diego, CA 92103
619-297-7373
specialdeliverysandiego.com
TOWNSPEOPLE
4080 Centre Street
San Diego, CA 92103
619-295-8802
townspeople.org
