Meet Brian, one of the thousands of LGBTQ New Yorkers finding connection through The Center:
 
"Prior to the health crisis, I was at The Center weekly for counseling and 12-step meetings. I was lost before finding The Center. With help from my counselor and The Center’s groups, I’ve been on a journey of finding power in myself. When quarantine started, I wanted to stay in bed until it was all over―but The Center announced its new online programs and I knew that's what I needed."

"I don't have to physically be at The Center to remove the feeling of loneliness. All my life, I've been looking for a savior outside of myself and The Center taught me I can save myself with the help of other people. I can't imagine getting through this without the support of their online meetings and phone calls. The Center is playing a role of lifting up any and everybody. When this is all over, I hope there may be more people at The Center continuing the processes they may have started from the comfort of their homes.
 
The amazing thing about New York is when the entire city picks you up. Pride has always felt like a holiday to me, where we all come together as a big family. Pride is something that we have within ourselves that we can bring out at any time. It’s not necessarily dependent on the date, time or plan. We can find a way to build a space in this virtual world where we can sit back and smile. We know this Pride will be totally different, and it could be tough for some people, but we can get through it, and we are not alone."

This is what Pride means to Brian. We take Pride in supporting our neighbors, friends and community. Since closing our building to the public, The Center has witnessed a 45% increase in demand for counseling services from people seeking connection during isolation. Please consider a generous gift to The Center to ensure we can be there for each other, now and always. Thank you!