FORT WAYNE PRIDE INCORPORATED

FORT WAYNE PRIDE HELD 9 EVENTS IN 2024 INCLUDING OUR FESTIVAL ON JULY 26TH AND 27TH. ALL, BUT ONE OF OUR EVENTS WERE OPEN TO ALL AGES WITH COMMUNITY RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO ATTENDEES. THE FESTIVAL HAD A NONPROFIT RESOURCE FAIR WITH 83 LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING INFORMATION AND RESOURCES FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE ALSO HELD AN LGBTQ HEALTH FAIR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SEVERAL STATE-WIDE AGENCIES INCLUDING THE INDIANA IMMUNIZATION COALITION TO CONNECT ATTENDEES WITH THREE DOZEN HEALTH SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONS AND PROVIDE FREE IMMUNIZATIONS FOR ANYONE WHO WAS INTERESTED. THE EVENT WAS FREE AND OPEN TO ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC, NOT JUST LGBTQ PEOPLE. THERE WERE MANY ATTENDEES FROM THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY WHICH WAS DUE TO OUR STRATEGIC LOCATION CHOICE TO REACH THAT POPULATION. THE EVENT STEMMED FROM OUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH IU SIMON COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER AND TOBACCO FREE ALLEN COUNTY. OUTSIDE OF THE HEALTH FAIR, THAT PARTNERSHIP ALSO ALLOWED US TO CONTINUE OUR INITIATIVES TO REDUCE TOBACCO AND VAPING USE WITHIN THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND EDUCATE ON PREVENTABLE CANCERS AND EARLY DETECTION SCREENINGS. OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS WERE UTILIZED TO PROVIDE EDUCATION AND RESOURCES TO IMPROVE THE LIVES AND HEALTH OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY. FORT WAYNE PRIDE HAD A RESOURCE TABLE AT OVER TWO DOZEN LOCAL EVENTS, EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ON WHAT OUR ORGANIZATION DOES AND WHAT MEETINGS AND GROUPS THEY CAN ATTEND. OUR ONLINE DIRECTORY WAS USED BY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE TO ACCESS LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL NONPROFITS AND LGBTQ FRIENDLY BUSINESSES. EMAILS WERE RESPONDED TO ALMOST DAILY ANSWERING QUESTIONS AND CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH RESOURCES TO HELP FIND HOUSING, HEALTH CARE, SUPPORT, AND MORE. OUR PRESIDENT PROVIDED FREE TRAINING TO THE RECRUITS AT THE FORT WAYNE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS MULTIPLE FOSTER CARE AGENCIES, HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS, AND YOUTH WORKERS TO WORK WITH THE LGBTQ POPULATION. SHE ALSO WORKED WITH AREA HIGH SCHOOLS AND THE LGBTQ YOUTH GROUP TO ENSURE THAT MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HAD SUPPORT AND ACCESS TO RESOURCES. WE CONTINUED TO OPERATE THE FORT WAYNE PRIDE CENTER LOCATED AT 527 W BERRY ST, FORT WAYNE, IN 46802. THIS LEASED SPACE WAS HOME TO 15 GROUPS THAT MET APPROXIMATELY 32 MEETINGS PER MONTH. GROUPS INCLUDE A TWICE WEEKLY LGBTQ YOUTH GROUP FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS; A MONTHLY GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP; A WEEKLY ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS MEETING; A MONTHLY GROUP FOR LGBTQ PEOPLE OVER 50; A MONTHLY WOMEN'S GROUP; A MONTHLY SUPPORT GROUP FOR TRANSGENDER PEOPLE; AN AUTISM SUPPORT GROUP; A MONTHLY AL-ANON SUPPORT GROUP; A MONTHLY FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP; AND A CURRENT EVENTS GROUP AS WELL AS YOGA CLASSES AND A CRAFTING GROUP. THERE IS A PRIDE BAND WHICH CONSISTS OF VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO PLAY AT VARIOUS EVENTS AND PRACTICE AT THE CENTER. ALONG WITH THAT WE ALSO DID VARIOUS EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR INCLUDING QUARTERLY EVENTS FOR CHILDREN FROM LGBTQ FAMILIES; SUPPORT FOR LEGAL NAME AND GENDER MARKERS CHANGES; ASSISTANCE WITH LEGAL QUESTIONS; AND MONTHLY HIV AND STI TESTING. THE PRIDE CENTER ALSO HAS A LENDING LIBRARY WHERE PEOPLE CAN CHECK OUT BOOKS FREE OF CHARGE. ALL GROUPS, MEETINGS, AND EVENTS AT THE PRIDE CENTER ARE OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE AND ARE OPEN TO ANYONE IN THE LGBTQ OR STRAIGHT ALLY COMMUNITY, ALTHOUGH ALL GROUPS ARE 18+ OUTSIDE OF THE YOUTH GROUP WHICH IS RUN BY TRAINED PROFESSIONALS FROM THE CENTER FOR NONVIOLENCE. THE PRIDE CENTER ALSO PROVIDES OFFICE SPACE FOR THE ORGANIZATION. WE WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY BY AGAIN PARTNERING WITH MEMBERS FROM PLYMOUTH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND BUSINESSES TO SUPPORT 15 LOCAL LGBTQ FAMILIES IN NEED DURING THE HOLIDAYS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH ESSENTIAL ITEMS AND CONNECT THEM WITH RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY HELP. WE ALSO SUPPORTED THE GREGORY MANIFOLD FOOD PANTRY AT POSITIVE RESOURCE CONNECTION. SCHOLARSHIPS WERE ALSO PROVIDED USING PROCEEDS FROM LAST YEAR'S GOFUNDME FROM THE PLAY WE HELPED PUT ON.