Since 1986, the Sacramento LGBT Community Center has been a beacon of hope and a vital resource for the local LGBTQ+ community and their allies. Guided by its mission to create a more equitable society and a region where all LGBTQ+ people thrive, the center offers essential services such as housing programs, accessible mental health support, advocacy and community-building events. These services empower individuals to live authentically while fostering resilience and connection.
However, mounting challenges now threaten the center’s mission. Project 2025 aims to dismantle LGBTQ+ rights, defunding gender-affirming care, restricting adoption rights and eliminating marriage equality. Compounding these threats, H.R. 9495 — misleadingly titled the “Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act” — proposes to give the Treasury Secretary unchecked authority to label nonprofits as “terrorist-supporting organizations.” For organizations like the center, which support marginalized communities often seen as threats to certain political or religious ideals, this threat is not hypothetical — it is imminent.
“Though the challenges are daunting, the center’s commitment is unshaken because the impact of our services is undeniable in saving lives,” says Luis Cortes, chief development and external affairs officer. “With nearly 40% of LGBTQ+ youth having considered suicide and hate crimes against our community doubling in Sacramento since 2022, our programs are more essential than ever. Our two shelters combined have achieved an 85% success rate in transitioning unhoused LGBTQ+ youth into permanent housing. Each statistic represents a life — a neighbor, a friend or a family member — whose safety and dignity we are determined to protect.”
The center’s impact extends far beyond Sacramento. It provides safe spaces for families fleeing anti-LGBTQ+ states, support groups for seniors and lifelines for vulnerable youth. These services address the isolation and instability that can be life-threatening for marginalized individuals. Each program represents a commitment to transforming despair into hope and resilience.
Yet the center cannot do this alone. With 80% of its funding dependent on federal grants now at risk, its ability to continue these essential services hangs in the balance. Your support is critical — not just for the center, but also for the community it sustains. Together, we can ensure the center’s doors remain open, offering hope where it is needed most. In these uncertain times, your help is not just welcome — it’s needed.
