SAN DIEGO (CNS) - San Diego Pride Thursday announced it will donate more than $170,000 to 59 LGBTQ-serving organizations around the county and world.
San Diego Pride is donating the money as a result of financial success during its 2018 Pride events. The organization had donated more than $2.7 million since 1994 to dozens of organizations as a result of Pride event successes.
"San Diego Pride, its events and year-round programming are made possible by our over 30 LGBTQ-serving nonprofit community partners, 87 sponsors, 5,600 volunteer shifts, 22,000 volunteers hours, 45,000 Festival attendees, and 250,000 Parade attendees," San Diego Pride Executive Director Fernando Lopez said. "It is this collective effort that builds on the legacy of those who came before us that makes this level of philanthropy possible."
Pride developed into an organization capable of turning a profit during the late 1980s and early 90s. Pride organizers subsequently wanted to reinvest those funds into LGBTQ communities whenever possible.
Today, Pride Community Grants fund youth programs, sobriety services, LBGTQ arts and culture, queer communities of color, transgender community support programs and health and human services programs.
"Our giving will have a tangible impact on projects locally, nationally, and globally that support and sustain LGBTQ communities in a myriad of ways," San Diego Pride's Director of Philanthropy Sarafina Scapicchio said. "This year's grants will help create new LGBTQ youth programs, feed and house people living with HIV, fund multiple LGBTQ-focused performing arts projects, provide legal support for LGBTQ victims of sex trafficking, scholarships for transgender students, emergency housing for homeless LGBTQ people and so much more."
