For Immediate Release: The Plus Projec+ Announces Grant Recipients
Contact: Larry Biddle larryjbiddle@me.com (813) 417-1225
August 24th, 2020
In late July, The Plus Projec+, in partnership with The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, proudly awarded our very first round of grants to benefit LGBTQ+ not-for-profit organizations and the many people they serve. $55,000.00 in much needed funding was awarded to the creators of six deserving initiatives.
We produced a wonderful video presentation of the awards with interviews and visuals that you don’t want to miss! The link is at page bottom.
Here Are the Awardees:
1. Organization: Community Tampa Bay – Project: Anytown (communitytampabay.org) Represented By: Tammy Briant
Summary of Project:
ANYTOWN empowers thousands of young people to create more inclusive and just schools and communities where everyone is treated with respect and understanding.
Community Tampa Bay’s ANYTOWN begins each summer with an intensive 5-day, 4-night residential program and continues with a year of ongoing opportunities for service and leadership development utilizing the knowledge, skills and attitudes developed at ANYTOWN.
When delegates graduate from ANYTOWN, they will have engaged in transformative dialogue and meaningful cross-cultural interaction and be ready to build inclusive schools and communities free from all forms of discrimination.
2. Organization: Metro Inclusive Health – Project: LGBTQ+ youth programming (metrotampabay.org)
Represented By: James Keane
Summary of Project:
Youth Summits/Youth Nights @ LGBTQ Welcome Center
3. Org; Equality Florida Institute, Inc. – Project: Safe & Healthy Schools (EQFL.org > Safe & Healthy Schools
Represented by: Hal Trejo
Summary of Project:
Equality Florida Institute’s Safe and Healthy Schools Program aims to create a culture of inclusion while countering the bullying, harassment, social isolation, and bigotry that dramatically increase risk factors for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning) students.
4. Org: Youth Improvement Services – Project: LGBTQ+ Youth Emergency Assistance Project (youthimprovement.org)
Represented by: Deroll Barrott
Summary of Project:
Youth Improvement Services, INC. (YIS), is a nonprofit organization that empowers low-income youth so that they can care for themselves and their families. Our organization was founded by a group of three LGBTQ individuals in response to a need for resources to support marginalized and disadvantaged youth. Primarily serving the Jackson metropolitan area of Mississippi and the Tampa Bay area in Florida, our agency provides emergency housing, life skills, training and support services to youth, ages 18 – 24.
5. Org: Empath Health – Project: EPIC Generations Friendly Caller (myepic.org >generations) Represented By: Susan Talbott
Summary of Project:
EPIC (Empath Partners in Care) Generations is a new program created to educate the community and respond to the unique challenges and needs of older LGBTQ residents in Pinellas County. The program will provide visits, peer phone calls, social activities and other support for these elders, as well as cultural competency training for aging providers and community groups.
6. Org: League of Women Voters of Florida – Project: Equality Voters (LWVSPA.org) Represented By: Julia Sharp (703) 489-8079
Equality Voters:LGBTQ+ focused voter registration, outreach, and empowerment campaign in Pinellas County. This campaign will focus on making civic engagement, specifically voting and participating in the census, fun, easy, and empowering activities for the LGBTQ+ community by funding student fellows; hiring drag performers and local LGBTQ+ activists and stakeholders via social media; execute a community designed mural; ensure training for Voter Assistance volunteers focus on the unique challenges of trans and non-binary voters; as well as socially distanced drag performances at polling stations. The funds will be used to hire performers, boost social media posts, and purchase targeted advertising.
The Plus Projec+ is so grateful to the many donors – one time, ongoing and legacy participants, that have made this moment possible. As we begin again toward the next round, we hope your support continues. For more information:
www.theplusproject.org
To View the Facebook Live Video Presentation:
