- J
- R
Hello everyone!
We are Janiece and Chris, and we are excited to launch the initial fundraising campaign for the LGBTQ+ youth group that we launched in Key West, FL: Queer Keys. Our mission is to create community for queer youth in the Florida Keys through activity-based learning, group support, and healthy social networking.
We achieve our mission in weekly meetings, where we provide a space for youth to check-in with each other, do group-selected activities, and share healthy snacks. Some of the activities we've done so far include pumpkin-carving, pizza-making, knitting lessons, and a karaoke night. Each week we ask our participants what they would like to do together, and we figure out how to make it happen.
We started this organization because we noticed a prominent lack in community-based services for LGBTQ+ individuals in the Key West and Florida Keys community. As we develop an organization to address the needs of the entire community, our initial project is focused on providing support for the LGBTQ+ youth in the region because of the alarming statistics about the lived realities experienced by this demographic:
- 68.7% of LGBTQ student experienced verbal harassment at school based on sexual orientation, 56.9% based on gender expression, and 53.7% based on gender. (GLSEN 2019 School Climate Survey )
- It's estimated that 7% of youth in the United States are LGBTQ+, while 40% of youth experiencing homelessness are LGBTQ+. (Voices of Youth Count Survey from Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago)
Our group is for any youth between the ages of 12 - 18, with a focus on LGBTQ+ identified youth. Read more about our story in this Keys Weekly article written by Reda Wigle.
So far, we've been funding this project using our personal funds and some small cash donations provided by our initial supporters. We've reached the point when we are ready to ask for broader support. Funds raised in this campaign will allow us to:
- File for 501c3 application with the IRS to achieve charitable tax-deductible status ($275 fee)
- Build an organization website to reach more participants and supporters ($236/year)
- Purchase healthy snacks for each meeting (~$200/month | ~$2400/year)
- Purchase supplies for group activities (~$240/month | ~$2880/year)
We are so grateful to everyone who has supported this project since its inception this past August, through your kind words, offers to volunteer, monetary donations, and sharing our story. We are dedicated to the success and growth of this project, and we so look forward to seeing where it goes from here.