Explanation
This ordinance authorizes Columbus City Council to enter into a grant agreement with Stonewall Columbus in support of programming that advances social justice and the ability to achieve sustainable pathways out of poverty.
For 40 years, Stonewall Columbus has been at the center of the LGBTQ+ movement in central Ohio. As the first and only LGBTQ+ community center, Stonewall has led and/or partnered in advancements in LGBT rights, health, legal aid and legislative progress throughout the city, county and state.
Stonewall Columbus proposes the following programming that will actively support the City’s vision of developing Pathways Out of Poverty:
• Connecting people who need support to programs and services that help them move from economic insecurity to economic security;
• Providing programming that specifically addresses the nuanced cultural needs of LGBTQ+ people;
• Making it easier for gay and transgender people to access necessary programs and training required for them to achieve success through the development of enhanced skills needed for successful employment;
• Aiding marginalized populations including queer and transgender people of color, disenfranchised young adults, women and the chronically underemployed, for whom financial insecurity is often a way of life;
• Serving LGBTQ+ people who have a disproportionately high likelihood of living at or below 200% of the federal poverty line due, in part, to a limited capacity (based on knowledge, skills, and access) to manage financial resources effectively;
• Supporting LGBT veterans who are at extremely high risk for destructive behaviors and even suicide as a result of years of being marginalized and “shamed,” many of whom are under extreme financial burden without access to veteran’s benefits and support programs;
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Emergency action is requested in order to avoid any delay in providing Stonewall Columbus with th...
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