Date: Wed, 16 Jul 1997 22:48:56 -0700 From: Eros Publishing Subject: Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DO NOT PUBLISH AFTER 12/31/97 CONTACT: TED LORD, 206-323-3318 1-800-735-7287 PRIDE FOUNDATION GRANTS $65,000 TO 19 LESBIAN AND GAY PROJECTS The Pride Foundation is pleased to announce grants totaling $65,000 to 19 Pacific Northwest community organizations in its Summer 1997 granting cycle. The organizations funded benefit gays, lesbians, and allied communities in a wide range of areas including youth and family services, AIDS education and support, the arts, advocacy, women's health, and other health and community services. "The range of projects and programs our community is funding is inspiring. Over half of the grants awarded in this cycle are going to organizations that have not been funded by Pride before. This points to the growth in services our community is now supporting as well as the increased geographic reach Pride is experiencing. Together with the established groups Pride continues to support, everyone is doing amazing work in communities around the Northwest", commented Jean Singer, Pride Board Member. A total of 82 proposals were submitted by non-profit organizations requesting $350,000 in support. Grant highlights include support for A Sound Coalition's work to unify communities in the south Puget Sound region; Phoenix Rising Foundation to help establish a sexual minority youth recreation and support project in Portland; and underwriting for the Entre Hermanos/People of Color Against AIDS Network (POCAAN) Oral History of Queer Latinos project collect and document stories reflecting the Queer Latino community. "We are pleased to support the work of these nineteen organizations," commented Ted Lord, Pride's Executive Director. "However, there were many worthwhile projects we did not have the resources to fund. Pride's board members and volunteers are committed to working hard to assure that we have the funds available to say 'yes' to more groups in our Winter 1997/1998 grant cycle." The Pride Foundation is the only community foundation specifically targeting the needs of the lesbian and gay community in rural and urban areas of the Pacific Northwest. Since 1987, Pride has awarded over $1,000,000 to a wide range of projects. Please call (206) 323-3318 for a copy of our newsletter, With Pride, or to request a grant application. In Support of Arts & Recreation Entre Hermanos/People of Color Against AIDS Network (POCAAN): $4,350 to assist the Oral History of Queer Latinos project. The project will collect and document stories reflecting the different aspects of people's lives and important issues within the Queer Latino community. Northwest International Lesbian Gay Film Festival: $2,500 for general support to the annual film festival in Olympia, Washington. The festival will include five feature length films as well as approximately 30 short films, documentaries and videos addressing lesbian and gay issues from around the world. Pat Graney Dance Company: $3,500 for "Keeping the Faith," a project for incarcerated women in Washington State. The project consists of a series of arts based workshops and performances. During the workshops, incarcerated women have to opportunity to address issues surrounding sexuality, lesbianism, and other topics. In Support of Education, Outreach & Visibility Edmonds Community College Fund: $1,500 for the purchase of library materials addressing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered issues. By obtaining more materials dealing with the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered communities, Edmonds Community College can show its commitment to diversity and support more dialogue on campus. Idaho for Basic Rights: $5,000 as start-up funding for a statewide network. The statewide network will activate a base of over 10,000 identified supporters and 1,000 volunteers to transition the community towards a more pro-active approach to the struggle for civil equality. Lighthouse for the Blind: $2,500 to help fund a support group for gay and lesbian deaf/blind individuals at an annual week long retreat where interpreters are provided at all times. This year, the retreat will include a support group and activities for those attendees who are gay and lesbian as well as speakers on gay and lesbian issues to educate all conference participants. Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Tacoma: $2,665 for ongoing support and expansion of PFLAG Tacoma's activities. Funds will be used to purchase literature and videos, establish a telephone line and mail box, develop printed promotional materials, and conduct an outreach program. Rural Organizing Project: $5,000 in general support funding for the program which addresses civil rights and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered issues in rural Oregon. The Rural Organizing Project ensures that issues of justice and equality are addressed in rural and small town communities. South King County Pride Day Committee: $2,000 for a gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and allies annual park festival. The funding will assist the committee to sponsor the second Pride event in south King County as well as helping to pay off residual debt from last year's event. A Sound Coalition: $2,500 for the sponsorship of a community building workshop and diversity project. The workshop's goal is to unify communities in the south Puget Sound region by providing an event for networking, education, support and empowerment as well as developing a diversity/pride event. In Support of Health & Community Services The BABES Network: $4,400 to fund the distribution of a newsletter, Babes Talking, and to support a fall retreat for HIV+ women. The BABES Network is a peer led agency providing support to HIV+ women in the Northwest. The newsletter will be mailed to over 200 HIV+ women each month while the retreat will serve isolated women from around the Northwest. Idaho AIDS Foundation: $5,000 to help fund a new staff position of volunteer coordinator. The new half-time position will coordinate the activities of over 40 volunteers that provide services for people living with AIDS. Ingersoll Gender Center: $3,450 to help fund expanded facilities and provide information and resources for transgendered persons. The money will assist the Ingersoll Gender Center to increase its space by 40% and increase the capacity of its meeting facilities. Also, funding will be used to compose and consolidate resource information for Female-to-Male transgendered persons. Kang Wen AIDS Acupuncture Clinic: $3,785 to subsidize traditional Chinese medical treatments for low income, HIV+ people. The Kang Wen clinic will use the resources to expand the number of low income clients by approximately 30, to a total of 100 clients. Seattle Lesbian Cancer Project: $3,600 for a new therapeutic massage project. The funding will help pay for a volunteer coordinator who will link volunteer massage therapists with lesbians undergoing treatment for cancer. Therapeutic massage has been shown to provide important physical and psychological benefits for cancer patients. In Support of Youth & Families Alaska Pride Conference: $2,000 to help sponsor the first publicly advertised gay youth event in Alaska. Called "Young and Proud," the event will include a speaking engagement by Wilson Cruz, a young gay actor and activist. The event hopes to attract up to 250 participants and will distribute 50 free tickets to students to attend the event. Coalition for Sexual Minority Youth: $3,500 to assist a new drop-in support group for sexual minority youth in the McMinnville Oregon, area. The money will be used to help defray the costs of establishing a resource library, setting up a voice mail contact phone number, developing an outreach plan, and training volunteers. Interior AIDS Association: $$2,750 to increase support for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning youth in interior Alaska. The money will help establish and OpenDoor YouthLine staffed by youth volunteers, giving youth in the region a forum to discuss queer issues. Phoenix Rising Foundation: $5,000 to help establish a sexual minority youth recreation and support project in Portland. The project will provide an evening and weekend facility specifically for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered youth. [The Pride Foundation works to strengthen our lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual community today, and build an endowment fund for tomorrow. Since 1987, the Pride Foundation has made grants of over one million dollars to over 150 organizations. As a community foundation Pride raises funds for its granting and scholarship programs, educates about community needs and solutions, fosters leadership and promotes the leveraging of available community resources.]