We’re so excited to share the big news!
We’re Moving!
Check out all the details about our new location in our press release and watch this space for more details to come!
This amazing next chapter in our LGBTQ+ community members lives needs your support!
Please click here and donate what you can to help support the creation of our new space!
Click here to read our press release
Rendition/Photo Credit: Hickok Cole, our architects on this project
If you are facing a life threatening situation or seeking immediate care:
DC Mobile Crisis: 202-673-9300
DC Shelter Hotline: 202.399.7093 or 311
Maryland Mobile Crisis: 240-777-4000
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255
Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860
LGBTQ under 25: Trevor Lifeline: 866-488-7386
LGBTQ National Help Center (all ages – various lines/hours): 888-843-4564 www.glbthotline.org
The COVID-19 pandemic and the response to it have upended the lives of many, especially those who already find themselves in precarious circumstances–like those of Center Global’s program participants, LGBT asylum seekers. Center Global has acted quickly in the past few weeks to provide additional social and financial support to its program participants through creating virtual community, engaging in individual outreach, and providing direct financial assistance.
To tend to program participants’ social and community needs, Center Global began hosting weekly Zoom hangouts on Thursday nights. Hosted by Geoffrey Louden, Center Global’s Vice-Chair, the weekly hangouts are an opportunity for program participants to check in with each other and see how each other are handling some of the unique pressures arising from stay-at-home orders. Attendance has ranged from eight to ten people each week. Center Global will continue to hold these hangouts for the duration of the stay-at-home orders. Additionally, Center Global volunteers began calling program participants individually to check in with them about how they are doing and whether they need help being pointed to available resources or navigating those resources.
To help alleviate some of the financial pressures brought about by the response to COVID-19, Center Global decided to distribute approximately $7,500 to participants in need of urgent relief. Requests for assistance included things such as rent, groceries, co-payments for medical appointments, and transportation via safer alternatives to public transportation. While Center Global was not able to help all who applied, those who did receive assistance have expressed how much of an impact for the better the assistance has made.
Center Global, a program of the DC Center for the LGBT Community, provides a welcoming community for LGBT asylum seekers in the Washington, DC area. Center Global assists asylum seekers through providing food and transportation assistance, legal assessments and referrals, limited case management services, and hosting monthly community dinners. For more information about Center Global, please contact Geoffrey Louden, Vice-Chair, at geoffreyl@thedccenter.org.
Greetings,
Center Global participants live in a tenuous job, housing, and healthcare context. They are largely unqualified for federal supports during COVID-19, placing them in greater danger and despair.
Many have lost well-earned jobs and under increasing pressures to pay rent and living expenses as their work hours and job options evaporate in this pandemic economy.
On March 28th, Center Global and the DC Center launched the COVID-19 Emergency Support Program. We created it to a) establish a fund to assist with COVID-19-related expenses and b) reach out and check on our participants’ wellbeing.
In less than a week, we received 25 applications with requests of over $16K for help with rent, medical expenses, food, and transportation.
We’ve been able to support approximately 60% of our immediate requests, realizing more will arrive as the virus’s impacts spread. Experts warn DC will be the next virus hot spot.
Now’s your chance to help!
Through our generous supporters and volunteers, we’ve been fortunate to cover some of our participants’ needs—yet there’s an urgent need to close the financial gap.
Online or By Mail
We welcome your contributions to the COVID-19 Support Fund. You can make a tax-deductible contribution by visiting https://donorbox.org/centerglobal. Or you can send a check to: Center Global, 2000 14th St., NW., Suite 105, Washington, DC 20009 (please write “Center Global COVID-19” in the memo line).
With your help, we can guide our participants through this pandemic. To learn more about Center Global’s COVID-19 response, please email Geoffrey Louden, vice chair at geoffreyl@thedccenter.org.
Thank you and best wishes for your health and safety.
Tom Sommers, Geoffrey Louden, Don Driver
Executive Leadership Committee
Tom Sommers Geoffrey Louden
Taking guidance and recommendations about social distancing from the DC government and the CDC, effective Monday, March 16th, The DC Center for the LGBT Community’s office will be closed. Staff are still working remotely, and will be checking emails and voicemails multiple times each day. Please reach out to supportdesk@thedccenter.org to connect with the DC Center, as we are still able to provide services and support.
If you are interested in attending support groups remotely, please reach out to your facilitator or supportdesk@thedccenter.org and we can provide options for remote meetings using conference lines.
The situation is changing rapidly, please refer to the CDC’s website and coronavirus.dc.gov for up-to-date information on what you can do to help prevent and slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The DC Center team will be meeting regularly to assess the situation and rest assured that we will open as soon as it is safe to do so, as we know that many of our clients and participants are vulnerable and will need support. If you are able, please consider donating and supporting organizations that provide food, medicine, and other support to marginalized populations.
If you are facing a life threatening situation or seeking immediate care:
DC Mobile Crisis: 202-673-9300
DC Shelter Hotline: 202.399.7093 or 311
Maryland Mobile Crisis: 240-777-4000
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255
Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860
LGBTQ under 25: Trevor Lifeline: 866-488-7386
LGBTQ National Help Center (all ages – various lines/hours): 888-843-4564 www.glbthotline.org
*** Hello friends,
In order to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus, the DC Center is closed effective Monday, March 16th. To protect the health and safety of everyone we have decided to postpone our health and wellness festival, we will no longer have the event on March 28th , a new date will be decided in the future. Please consider how you can help delay the spread of coronavirus by consulting sites such as https://coronavirus.dc.gov/ for more information. ***
Due to unfortunate circumstances, we have been forced to reschedule our Wellness Expo. Join us on Saturday, March 28th for our first-ever DC LGBTQ Health and Wellness Expo.
Please click here for the updated event information, and if you have previously registered there’s no need to re-register. Thank you for your patience. If you have any questions please email supportdesk@thedccenter.org.
To ask a nurse or an advocate your questions first or to receive a free Uber ride to the hospital, call the DC Victim Hotline @1-844-4HELPDC .
For evidence collection (“rape kit”), in case you decide to report to police, try to avoid:
Showering, urinating or having a bowel movement, eating/drinking or smoking, chewing gum, douching, brushing teeth or changing clothes.
Arrive to MWHC , emergency department and let them know you are there for a SANE exam
You will be checked out by an ER physician first. Expect to be at the hospital for an average of 4.5 hours. You will have the opportunity to have all your questions answered by a nurse and an advocate before the exam begins.
If needed, receive free HIV/STD and pregnancy prevention medications
The nurse and physician will run some lab tests to make sure it is safe for you to take these meds. You will also have the opportunity to follow up for more meds if possible. Please note that if you believe you were exposed to HIV, you will need to arrive at MWHC 72 hours or before to get HIV prevention treatment known as PEP. PEP is only effective in stopping HIV when taken 72 hours after exposure.
Decide whether or not to report to law enforcement
It is 100% your decision whether to report to the police or not. Your kit will be held for a minimum of one year. You may request for MWHC to hold your kit longer but you may have the right to report any time within the statute of limitation.
Rest and track you kit
You can visit a website to track your kit. Your kit will only be sent to the crime lab for testing if you decide to report to law enforcement, but MWHC can send it for toxicology testing if you’d like regardless of your reporting decision.
Receive ongoing support and connection to resources
If you choose , the advocate will continue to support you in any way that you need and connect you to basic , education, legal, and / or social services.
Information sourced from
GLAA, one of the US’ oldest LGBTQ advocacy organizations, will honor Center Global, with its Distinguished Service Award during GLAA’s 48th Anniversary Reception on April 18, 2019. The GLAA cited Center Global for its unique support model, its aid to over 300 asylum seekers, and its creation of an LGBT-safe community. Center Global began in 2012 when Matt Corso and Eric Scharf co-founded the program, a part of the DC Center for the LGBT community. Tom Sommers, chair and Eric Scharf, vice-chair lead Center Global with the help of many volunteers and their time.
Center Global will be presenting two awards at its annual fundraising reception on Thursday, May 9, 2019 at Room & Board in Logan Circle.
Please submit the name of the individual or organization whose work you believe is deserving of the Global Advocate Award and/or theGlobal Courage Award using the link below. Please include a brief explanation of the reasons why you believe the individual or organization deserves the award(s).
Please submit your nominations by April 1, 2019. Nomination Form for Center Global Awards
