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| OverviewChicago has long had the best of everything, and in mid-2001 a dedicated group of community leaders realized that we deserved the world’s finest community center for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons. Through their vision and dedication, Center on Halsted is becoming a reality. With groundbreaking set for 2005, the Center will be the first of its kind in the Midwest. Our mission is simple: In a safe and nurturing environment, the Center on Halsted serves as a catalyst for the LGBT community that links and provides community resources and enriches life experiences. Center on Halsted will be a focal point for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community of Chicago, serving the community’s diverse social, recreational, cultural, and social service needs. The Center on Halsted will be an exciting, highly visible symbol of LGBT pride and provide a safe, understanding and nurturing environment. The Center will offer support networks and programs that meet the cultural, emotional, spiritual, social, educational, and recreational needs of LGBT persons: youth, adults, seniors, or families. As currently envisioned, Center on Halsted will have office and meeting space for community organizations, drop-in space for youth and for older adults, gallery space, cultural programming, and recreation space–basketball and volleyball courts are planned–along with parking, ground level retail, and a rooftop memorial garden. Current services include support groups for youth and seniors; psychotherapy services; an info line for LGBT individuals and a hotline for HIV and STD concerns; prevention, treatment, and advocacy related to domestic violence; and a range of life-enrichment programs. The Center on Halsted will also house a number of organizations serving Chicago's LGBT community. More than 40 have expressed their interest in participating with the center. Chicago has long been the center of the LGBT community for the greater Midwest. While the city has a wide array of LGBT organizations that provide many health, social services, recreational, cultural and advocacy programs and services, there is no one place where these organizations can easily come together to collaborate, extend their reach, or share resources. The Center on Halsted will celebrate and solidify this role. This multipurpose facility will provide organizational support and meeting space for LGBT groups, cultural and recreational programming and counseling services. At the heart and soul of the Center are programs that will be offered by a community of nonprofit organizations. Literally tens of thousands will be served each year through the organizations that become partners in this bold new project. The Center will also strengthen the community by serving as a link among diverse organizations that otherwise might not interact. The Center’s vision is to reflect “An LGBT journey…celebrating, affirming and discovering possibilities”. Join us on this journey. |
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