GEAE and LGBTQ Funds Host Holiday Celebration

On Wednesday, December 7, the Greater Erie Alliance for Equality (GEAE) and the LGBTQ Funds of the Erie Community Foundation hosted an end-of-year reception at Room 33 in downtown Erie. This is the first time the two organizations have hosted a collaborative holiday event.

Guests at the event were treated to a delicious buffet while the Stephen Trohoske Trio played in the background. Cody Empey, President of GEAE, made welcoming remarks, while Blane Dessy, Chair of the LGBTQ Funds Development Committee, welcomed guests. The reception allowed us to celebrate the holidays and thank our supporters. It was also an opportunity to look ahead to 2023 and present some ideas for activities and collaborations in the future with other local LGBTQ+ organizations.

The LGBTQ Funds began with a donation from GEAE to the Erie Community Foundation several years ago, so the two groups have always been connected. The LGBTQ Funds provide funding to other organizations for programs and events; the Funds do not directly manage programs in the community. Also, the Funds are not restricted to Erie County; organizations in adjacent Pennsylvania Counties may also be eligible for funding. The LGBTQ Funds plan to continue their current grant and scholarship programs while also looking into other educational events on topics of community importance.

Greater Erie Alliance for Equality was founded with a simple yet vital mission of supporting the region's LGBTQ+ community and its straight allies through education and youth programs, social events, and opportunities for service, which are designed to strengthen our voices and improve the quality of life in northwestern Pennsylvania. Moving into 2023, GEAE will continue its focus on educational and youth programming by bringing back our speaker series and goals to bring competency-based training into the local healthcare arena.

Both GEAE and the LGBTQ Funds are looking forward to expanded collaboration with other local organizations to provide comprehensive outreach in 2023.

Photos

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