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Eastern PA Trans Equity Project | www.patransequity.org

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The Eastern PA Trans Equity Project (EPTEP) is a transgender-led nonprofit organization focused on empowering and supporting transgender Pennsylvanians while building community and promoting social justice. EPTEP meets these needs through four initiatives: supportive services, basic needs assistance, empowerment programs, and education and training programs. Supportive services include mentoring, peer support groups, case management, Infoline, and trusted referrals. Basic needs assistance provides direct financial support for rent, food, medical care, utilities, clothing, and transportation to help transgender people in crisis. Empowerment programs offer legal name change assistance, educational scholarships, and workforce development programming to ensure transgender people are prepared to thrive in the long term. Education and training programs serve both the transgender community and those who serve them to ensure safety and awareness. Additionally, EPTEP advocates by working with parents' groups, employers, governments, and service agencies to improve their ability to serve and advocate for the transgender community.

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Siloam Wellness | www.siloamwellness.org

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Siloam’s mission is dynamic and responsive to emerging needs. Siloam’s most recent initiative addresses the rising epidemic of HIV among young people aged 13-24, largely due to the opioid epidemic and needle sharing. In response, Siloam pioneered educational youth sports outreach through partnerships with the 76er's Basketball Team, United Healthcare, AmeriHealth Caritas, the Salvation Army Kroc Center, and other foundations. Siloam has sponsored Six Three Point Press for Awareness Basketball camps and co-sponsored six Football Camps, bringing together area coaches and professional players to combine motivational speeches with sports instruction. These camps also feature age-appropriate HIV educational materials, piloted in neighborhood schools. These stigma-free events are designed for the entire family, and Siloam’s sports collaborations have reached an attendance of approximately 6,000.

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Asylum Pride House | www.asylumpridehouse.org

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Every year, hundreds of LGBTQIA+ immigrants seek protection in the United States, facing physical and structural barriers to arrive and, once here, continue to face challenges in their new communities. LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers often do not have family or friends in the U.S., which are critical during the initial months to years when individuals are waiting for work authorization and have no consistent source of income. Asylum Pride House, founded in 2022, was created to fill these support gaps by providing long-term housing, initial resources like hygiene supplies, clothing, and food, and case management services for LGBTQIA+ asylum-seeking immigrants. The program currently runs out of a five-bedroom apartment in Philadelphia, housing up to six individuals. During their stay, typically between four months to a year, each person receives individualized referrals to community services and guidance on navigating their new surroundings. These referrals often cover legal, mental and physical health, ESL classes, and job readiness. Asylum Pride House also provides case management services for individuals in the PA area who may not need housing but require guidance in accessing community resources.

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Uplift Center for Grieving Children | www.upliftphilly.org 

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According to the Centers for Disease Control’s 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report, 65% of LGBTQ+ high school-age youth have experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in the past year, which is 71% higher than their cisgender and heterosexual peers. LGBTQ+ youth also face a heightened risk of suicidality, with 41% considering suicide compared to 13% of their cisgender and heterosexual peers. They are also twice as likely to experience unstable housing. The minority stress model suggests that marginalized groups, including the LGBTQ+ community, experience unique stressors such as violence, stigma, and discrimination due to their gender and sexual identities. For LGBTQ+ youth of color and those who have experienced a death, these stressors compound, impacting their mental health and access to quality care. In response to this, Uplift Center for Grieving Children provides tools for youth and caregivers to understand, grow, and heal from their grief and losses. Since 2000, Uplift has expanded from offering grief support groups to a diverse suite of grief and mental health support services, all provided at no cost. Uplift's Master’s-level clinicians use evidence-based research to create resources that are trauma-responsive, culturally informed, and accessible. In 2024, Uplift launched its first edition of the Chill Out Plan, a suicide prevention safety plan for youth. Uplift plans to create a version specifically for LGBTQ+ youth, including local and national hotlines, food and shelter resources, and affirming quotes from LGBTQ+ role models. The LGBTQ+ Chill Out Plan is expected to be available by Philly Pride 2025 and will be accessible on Uplift’s website and distributed at community events.

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Prevention Meets Fashion | www.preventionmeetsfashion.org

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Prevention Meets Fashion (PMF) addresses an emerging need in the LGBTQ+ community: access to work and economic opportunities. LGBTQ+ individuals face unique economic challenges, earning only about 90 cents for every dollar earned by non-LGBTQ+ people. Barriers to employment and education impact their overall health and well-being. PMF works with its community partners to increase workplace and self-awareness skills, preparing individuals to recognize and confront barriers to employment, self-esteem, and inclusion. PMF’s Internship Program was ahead of the “Pay Our Interns” movement, addressing high levels of unemployment, lower incomes, and lower rates of high school completion among LGBTQ+ individuals due to discriminatory hiring practices. The program fills the gap, as few workforce development programs specifically cater to the LGBTQ+ community. PMF seeks funding for its new project, "Get to Know Our F.A.C.E.", a multi-part initiative to raise visibility and awareness of PMF’s Internship Program. This program focuses on supporting Black, POC, LGBTQ+, and non-binary community members living in Philadelphia and surrounding counties. The project includes a storytelling video, a community event, and discussions that educate about the challenges faced by these groups in the workplace and educational settings. The project aims to foster empowerment, provide safer spaces, and demonstrate how paid internships can reduce barriers to employment and education. Funding will help advance PMF’s project and attract diverse interns from the LGBTQ+ community.

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Attic Youth Center | www.atticyouthcenter.org

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The Attic Youth Center is requesting $5,000 to address increased hunger among LGBTQ+ youth in Philadelphia and surrounding areas. These funds will support the purchase of fresh groceries, prepared foods, and transportation to ensure youth can access meals and food safely. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many vulnerable youth have faced increased challenges that impact their well-being. LGBTQ+ youth attending The Attic are facing more significant economic, academic, nutritional, work-related, and mental health challenges, in addition to struggles with their identity. The Attic serves LGBTQ+ youth ages 13-23 from many marginalized backgrounds, many of whom are at risk of food and housing insecurity. According to the Williams Institute, over 34% of Black LGBTQ+ youth report being food insecure. Nationally, an estimated 371,000 LGBTQ+ high school students experience hunger due to food insecurity. At The Attic Youth Center, staff have observed a rise in the number of youth reporting food insecurity. In response, kitchen staff have increased the quantity of groceries and prepared foods to ensure that daily meals, snacks, and pantry items are adequate for all attendees.

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