LGBTQ Community Center

Our mission is to connect our diverse community to opportunities, resources and each other in order to achieve a healthier and more just world. Our strategies inspire and reinforce our community by:

• • Fostering greater opportunities for LGBTQIA+ people to thrive
• • Organizing for our future
• • Celebrating our history and culture
• • Building resources to create a legacy for future generations

THE HUB OF THE LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY

The hub of every LGBTQIA+ community is their community center. As such, our community center provides the LGBTQIA+ population with resources intended to strengthen our community. Committed to inspiring through solidarity, social activism and support, our programming begins online worldwide and continues both online and in-person when our center is erected on our campus.

Computer Center

All People All Truths House of Enlightenment’s campus will house the Community Center and will feature a full-service Computer Center with computers, free internet access, scanning and printing, and access to free educational programs. Access to communication and technology is vital to the community. The Computer Center hosts workshops, resume labs, computer classes for Boomers and whoever else needs help learning their way around programs, apps and the internet.

Community Workshop Series

Our Community Workshop Series socializes, organizes, and builds community while providing our LGBTQIA+ population with events, resources, and partnerships designed to strengthen our diverse community landscape.

Arts & Culture Program

Our Arts & Culture Program adds visibility to the culture, history, and diversity of the LGBTQIA+ experience. From hosting poetry slams and film screenings to presenting exhibitions. The Community Center gives the entire LGBTQIA+ community a wide-ranging, edifying experience online with in-person adaptations (coming soon). Focusing on youth, elders, people of color, women, people with disabilities, and people with HIV, the Community Center showcases a diversity of experience through:

• • Visual art
• • Literary readings and spoken word
• • Performing arts
• • Cultural events
• • Film screenings

Art spaces celebrate our past, present and future! We offer a stimulating online environment where artists can display or perform their work, share cultural traditions with the community, and tell their uniquely diverse stories with in-person environments coming soon. (Once our campus is built, it will host a dedicated space for our Arts & Culture Programs that mirror our online experience with the added benefit of in-person social interaction.)

Resource and Connection HUB

Intended to be the first stop for resources and connection, we include our outreach for youth and adults experiencing homelessness or in need of other assistance to our host of connections, referrals, and programs. Our database includes screened, trusted, and culturally capable resources both inside and outside including:

• • Community Engagement
• • Employment Services
• • Healthcare & Mental Health
• • Housing Services
• • Legal and Social services
• • Internet and Computer Access
• • Food and Clothing
• • Monetary Assistance

INFORMATION & REFERRAL CENTER

Our Information & Referral (I&R) Center provides community resources, information and assistance. I&R helps you find the services you need while connecting you with guidance and support when necessary.

Overview

Our I&R Center connects our community members to much-needed resources, information, and referrals. Our Welcome Desk helps you connect with community members and is available online, whenever you find yourself needing them. Coming soon and located on our church campus, is our in-person community center which will host our fully staffed I&R Center and Welcome Desk, waiting to assist you with all of your information and connection needs.

AIDS Financial Services

Our Aids Financial Services provides low-income or homeless HIV+ persons with money management and representative payee services that help find and maintain adequate housing, food and medical care.

AIDS Legal Referral Panel

Our Aids Legal Referral Panel (ALRP) is here to help! ALRP introduces free and low-cost legal services to people with HIV/AIDS.

Equal opportunity

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, persons with disabilities, and persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or inter-sex are encouraged to apply. We maintain a policy of non-discrimination with respect to employees and applicants for employment. No aspect of employment will be influenced in any matter by race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, marital status, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, physical disability (including HIV or AIDS), medical condition, perceived physical disability, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by statute.

SUPPORT OUTREACH

Our support outreach includes AA, NA, GA, Al-Anon, dysfunction, grief, sexual abuse, domestic abuse, homelessness, generational poverty and other support and mental health programming, therapy, shelter and assistance.

YOUTH SERVICES

Our Youth Services team helps nurture opportunities for independence, cultivate self-efficacy, and foster community-building for disconnected LGBTQIA+ youth. We provide a safe, fun, and confidential space for LGBTQIA+ youth ages 16-24 and much needed resources and referrals for this age group.

Overview

Our Youth Services programming provides resources and guidance to put LGBTQIA+ youth 16-24 and younger on a path to connection and stability. Our purpose is to build a strong queer youth community through education, creative and performing arts, a plethora of community events and youth drop-in services weekly both online and in-person.

Mental Health Services

Our Mental Health resources and referrals deliver culturally responsive and trauma-informed mental and behavioral health services for LGBTQIA+ youth.

Host Homes

Host Homes will match volunteers (hosts) in the community who have a spare bedroom and a commitment to building positive relationships with Transitional Age Youth (16-24) (guests). Host Homes is an innovative, community response to the queer youth and LGBTQIA+ young adult housing crisis. LGBTQIA+ young adults (18-24) are paired with temporary community hosts and receive case management services to help them work toward obtaining gainful employment, becoming self-supporting and securing stable housing.
Host Homes staff work diligently to ensure that matches between hosts and guests are made based on aligned values, interests, and lifestyles. Hosts and guests are provided a number of supports from A Path’s Community Center. They include training, regular check-ins, counseling resources and stipends based on need and availability. Host Homes are currently being used in numerous cities across the United States, including, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Louisville, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Rochester, San Jose, Santa Cruz, Seattle, Venice Beach, and others. Each community uniquely implemented the host home program to fit the needs of their youth. A Path’s CC will do the same. Pilot Host Homes in Michigan with potential expansion into other states begin the program. We also help with referrals and acceptance into other Host Homes programs across the country

EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

We believe employment is a fundamental right for the LGBTQIA+ population, just as it is for all other people. Our Employment Curriculum helps community members find stable employment in LGBTQIA+ and ally-friendly and supportive workplaces.

Overview

Employment is a basic requirement for people to build a foundation that will support the creation of a self-supporting healthy, happy and productive life, which includes learning to increase financial health and grow assets over time. To this end, we offer a variety of services, training, events, and workshops customized to support employment searches, networking prospects, and further individual opportunities for an improved future.

Employment Support

LGBTQIA+ jobseekers face a unique set of challenges due to the threat of workplace judgment, discrimination and intolerance. A PATH’s Community Center offers services to overcome these issues, including resume review, mock interviews, job fairs, and employment workshops. We also provide informational resources on LGBTQIA+ and ally-friendly employers.

Job Readiness

Our Employment Readiness Workshop series focuses on three crucial elements:

• • Resume Writing
• • Cover Letter Writing
• • Interview preparation

Ethics

Our Ethics Workshop series focuses on the core codes of ethics:

• • Integrity
• • Objectivity
• • Professional competence
• • Confidentiality
• • Professional behavior.

Workplace Empowerment

Our Workplace Empowerment Workshop focuses on building an empowering environment.

• • Accountability
• • Responsibility
• • Punctuality
• • Empowerment
• • Relationship Building

Transgender Employment Program

Helps locate and create ally-friendly workplaces and jobs for trans and gender non-conforming people.

LGBTQIA+ Career Expo

Our career expositions provide a dedicated, interactive platform for employers and job seekers to connect and explore potential employment and partnering prospects.

HOUSING & FINANCIAL SERVICES

Our Housing and Financial Services assist the community with skills and resources needed to enjoy the benefits of home ownership, develop financial security and create wealth. We offer specialized training for household budgeting, money management, investing, attainment of homeownership, and the realization of financial health and security.

Overview

The purpose of our Housing and Financial Services is to assist community members in the achievement of their life goals, whether it is creating a new career, the launch of a business or non-profit startup, becoming a first-time homebuyer, navigating career choices, or learning to invest.

First-Time Homebuyer Program

Our First-Time Homebuyer Curriculum teaches skills relevant to preparation for homeownership and the processes of selecting real estate, obtaining a mortgage and successful closing. The curriculum empowers graduates to participate in affordable housing programs that assist in becoming a homeowner.

Rental Application and Affordable Rental Housing Workshop

Our Rental Application and Affordable Rental Housing Workshop includes lectures and discussions on preparing rental applications and how to calculate household size, income, and affordable rental payments. Hands-on classroom instruction and practice examples instill know-how and confidence. One-on-one counseling for individual application assistance and housing counseling may be scheduled for those interested in additional assistance.

Financial Services Workshop

Our Financial Services Workshop helps participants reach individual monetary goals. We offer free workshops focused on a plethora of topics including budgeting, credit, debt, saving, and investing. Learn how to manage and grow your money.

SMALL BUSINESS MENTORING

We know entrepreneurship is key to a thriving community. This is why our Small Business Mentoring offers a full range of programs for business owners, startups, and those with entrepreneurship in their sights. One-on-one business consulting, coaching, workshops and classes round out our support for small business mentoring.

Overview

We guide businesses and non-profits throughout the gamut of their development and lifecycle. Beginning with a business or non-profit idea that needs help getting started to the experienced business owner needing help with keeping up with changing times and challenges, we offer a wide range of mentoring including workshops for best fundraising practices and obtaining both private sector and government grants. We know when we help small business owners create, grow, and expand, we help create jobs, a more stable local economy and foster a thriving LGBTQIA+ community.

Small Business Consulting

From testing ideas to launching and growing your business, we offer ongoing support for entrepreneurs to bring business from conception to realization. Our team can be a useful resource to help you facilitate an action plan to get moving toward attaining your business goals.

Small Business Workshops

Our Small Business Workshops offer instruction on critical business topics including creating your business plan, advertising, marketing, finance, business planning, business law, human resources, sales, and business management, to help small business owners gain useful knowledge to run their business effectively.