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From: spiker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Dallas chapter of United Way to fund gay organization
Source:
The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/
United Way to fund gay organization
Move a first for Dallas chapter, which cited group's good deeds
http://www.dallasnews.com/metro/stories/369357_unitedway_17me.html
Thursday | May 17, 2001
05/17/2001 By Kendall Anderson / The Dallas Morning News
For the first time, the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas will provide funding to a predominantly gay and lesbian organization, officials announced Wednesday.
The Resource Center of Dallas, an Oak Lawn nonprofit that serves gays and lesbians through education and support services, including HIV and AIDS health programs, was selected along with Central Dallas Ministries and the Mi Escuelita preschool program, among others, to receive United Way funding next year.
"Institutionally, to accept an openly gay and lesbian organization would have been pretty difficult 10 year ago it would have stirred discussion about them being gay," said Jesse Gonzalez, the United Way's senior vice president for community investment. "But our discussion was what service do they provide and do they have good outcome measures the same criteria as other organizations. I think that's progress."
The United Way is Dallas' largest source of nongovernmental funding for human services.
The Resource Center, founded in 1983 by gay activists, sought United Way funding years ago but did not get it. Karen Estes, co-executive director at the center, said she thinks that's because the organization was too small at the time.
"I am thrilled to death about this," she said. "This says very clearly that the United Way does not have a problem funding a gay and lesbian organization that does good, credible work."
The Resource Center served more than 5,000 gays and lesbians last year. Some of the United Way funding will go toward a planned food pantry near Fair Park and a new outreach site in Oak Cliff, Ms. Estes said.
Officials at Cathedral of Hope in Dallas, which has the nation's largest gay and lesbian congregation, said the move is significant.
"I think it's an incredible step forward for Dallas," said Randy Sprabary, director of development for the church. "Maybe it will open their eyes to the resource that is the gay and lesbian community."
Dallas joins the ranks of several other United Way chapters, from Atlanta to San Francisco, that fund organizations with a gay and lesbian focus.
Many United Way chapters across the country also have established anti-discrimination policies and, in some cases, pulled funding from groups such as Boy Scouts of America, whose policy to exclude gays was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court last year. The Boy Scouts is based in Irving.
Funding the Resource Center goes along with the United Way's inclusive approach, said Sabrina Slater, spokeswoman for the Dallas chapter.
The agency's mission statement is "to improve the quality of life of all people by responding to priority health and human service needs."
Ms. Slater said "we cannot exactly say we're helping to improve the quality of life of all people if we're not reaching out to diverse groups."
The three new groups will receive money in April from the agency's
2001-02 fund-raising campaign, which begins this summer. They are the first new groups funded by United Way since 1999.
Central Dallas Ministries runs a food pantry and medical clinic and provides educational and other resources to low-income housing complexes and nine schools.
Mi Escuelita, Inc. is an accredited English-language preschool program with locations in Oak Cliff, West Dallas, Oak Lawn and East Dallas.
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