This article contains content that is written like an advertisement .(June 2019) |
Formation | 1993 |
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Founder |
|
Type | Charitable organization (IRS exemption status): 501(c)(3) [1] |
Purpose | Healthcare, Education, Ending HIV/AIDS |
Headquarters | Wilton Manors, Florida, United States |
Area served | South Florida |
Method | Donations and Grants |
Revenue | $2.2 million |
Website | pridecenterflorida.org |
The Pride Center at Equality Park is an LGBTQ+ community center in Wilton Manors, Florida, that serves Broward County, Palm Beach County, and Fort Lauderdale. The center provides information, news, and events that affect South Florida's LGBT community. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] Established in 1993, the center is headquartered within a 30,000 square feet (2,800 m2) building with meeting and office space for individuals, programs, services, and organizations. The goal of the center is to empower the LGBT communities in South Florida. [2] [7] [8]
The center hosts more than 60 regularly-meeting groups each month. Support, social, and educational groups focus on women, seniors, youth, men, the trans community, recovery, health, the arts, athletics, spirituality, games, and more. It is also a major site for HIV testing and prevention, education and counseling, and also offers holistic and comprehensive support programs for persons living with HIV/AIDS. [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] AIDS memorabilia that later would be displayed in the World AIDS Museum and Educational Center were first exhibited here. [14]
In 2015, Pride Center Florida generated more than $2 million in annual revenues, it's main revenue comes from grants and government contracts of $1.2 million and $527,000 in annual members' dues and contributions. Net assets exceeded $6.2 million, including property and equipment valued at more than $5.3 million. [15] Programs are supported by a diverse group of local and national sponsors, such as Wells Fargo, JetBlue, [16] Whole Foods, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Ketel One, Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, and AHF AIDS Healthcare Foundation. [2]
SAGE, the country's largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBT older adults, is one of the center's most popular programs, including 398 active members with 175 LGBT seniors attending weekly get-togethers. In August 2016, SAGE estimated there are 43,000 LGBT older adults in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. [17]
The agency organizes an annual Tropical Plant Fair each spring, including several dozen vendor booths. [18]
The Pride Center grew out of the initial vision of founder Alan Schubert, one of the earliest public leaders of Fort Lauderdale's gay and lesbian community. Schubert died of cancer on June 1, 2016. He was 70 years old. Schubert's legacy includes the Pride Center where the main building bears his name and a long history of financial support and bringing community resources together on behalf of causes that included the Broward Gay and Lesbian Youth Group, the Child Care Connection, the Jewish AIDS Network, Broward Public Library, Human Rights Campaign, Center One and Tuesday's Angels. [19]
Upon his death, The Pride Center said:
His impact on this community and beyond is immeasurable. In 1993, Schubert--philanthropist and gay pioneer--conceived the idea for the then Gay and Lesbian Community Center of South Florida. Alan determined that a safe community center in Fort Lauderdale could assist existing and new groups serving the LGBTQ communities. Twenty three years later this month, The Center continues to honor Alan's original vision. Alan and his husband Robert recently moved back to South Florida. Our Center family has enjoyed the opportunity to hear directly from Alan his joy at the growth and evolution of The Center. Our thoughts and prayers are with his partner Robert, their family and friends.
— The Pride Center, [19]
In August 2016, a partnership between the Pride Center and Carrfour Supportive Housing secured financing to develop, build and operate South Florida's first supportive housing community that will significantly serve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender seniors. [20] [21] [22] Carrfour's competitive application for tax credits won funding from Florida Housing Finance Corporation for housing credit and gap financing for affordable housing developments for persons with a disabling condition, providing the financing needed to begin construction of The Residences at Equality Park as an initial 48-unit apartment complex on the Pride Center's campus at North Dixie Highway and Northeast 20th Drive in Wilton Manors, Florida. [23] [24] [25]
The effort to create affordable, supportive housing in Wilton Manors began in 2012 when City Commissioner Tom Green proposed development of affordable housing for the community's primarily LGBT seniors. [26] [27] Three years later, the proposal won unanimous support from the City Commission to create 12,346 square feet of retail space and 130 affordable housing units within The Pride Center's five-acre campus. [2] [28] Pride Center formally partnered with Carrfour to pursue funding, develop and operate the housing complex. [29]
Since 2010, Pride Center Florida has published a quarterly newsletter, known as the Pride Center Voice. The newsletter is distributed in print and electronically. The organization also maintains an active social media presence, including on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. [2]
A gay village, also known as a gayborhood, is a geographical area with generally recognized boundaries that is inhabited or frequented by many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBT) people. Gay villages often contain a number of gay-oriented establishments, such as gay bars and pubs, nightclubs, bathhouses, restaurants, boutiques, and bookstores.
Fort Lauderdale is a coastal city located in the U.S. state of Florida, 30 miles (48 km) north of Miami along the Atlantic Ocean. It is the county seat of and largest city in Broward County with a population of 182,760 at the 2020 census, making it the tenth largest city in Florida. After Miami and Hialeah, Fort Lauderdale is the third largest principal city in the Miami metropolitan area, which had a population of 6,166,488 in 2019.
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Wilton Manors is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. Wilton Manors is part of the Miami metropolitan area, which was home to 6,166,488 people at the 2020 census. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 11,426.
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This article concerns LGBT history in Florida.
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