LGBTQ CONNECT PROGRAM FOR YOUTH OPENS IN AMHERSTBURG
Windsor-Essex Pride Fest and Amherstburg’s The House Youth Centre officially launched the LGBTQ Connect Program for Youth. (Friday)
The Centre on Brock St. just a few blocks from Richmond St. in the City’s core — will house several events geared towards the bringing the LGBTQ community together each month.
Windsor west MPP Lisa Gretzky announced an Ontario Trillium Grant totally $460,000 over the three years at 2017’s Pride Fest.
President David Lenz tells AM800 News this is the first location of many that grant will help pay for.
“This program is the beginning, Essex will have similar programs as well, same as Kingsville,” he says. “This is just a branch off of those things coming down the road.”
Lenz says it’s sometimes hard to get to those in the LGBTQ community, or to even know the community exists in their area.
“So this gives them that option to be with people like them and interact and have that connection, a lot of LGBTQ youth in Essex County don’t have connections or they’re too far away to get to connections without transportation,” he says.
He says it’s going to be a great boost to the community to know this is here for them to meet new people and be in a stress free zone.
“This will be here every two weeks for them to come out to and there’ll be some special events where they’ll do little road trips here and there, it’s going to be great for them and it builds self-esteem,” says Lenz. “It’s a positive enforcement for them.”
Programs begin at the centre on July 12.
