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The nearby Snow Creek Fire has us really sitting in gratitude for things that really matter: shelter, food, health, community. Many of these things require money, and with the economy impacted by COVID-19, they might be even harder to have. We know we can help with food, but let us know about your housing situation:
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Are you struggling with paying rent?
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(Don't miss the United Lift Rental Assistance Fund info below!)
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On a lighter note, last week you let us know what age you were when you came out. Almost 80% came out between 16 and 39, and a special shout out to the 1% of folks who came out after 70, and those who aren't currently out. We see you and celebrate you too.
Speaking of, to mark National Coming Out Day on October 11, join us for a very special "Coming Out Stories" focus of our weekly Social Caring peer group on Monday, October 12. In the meantime, see you on Zoom.
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When I was about five years old my parents gave me a charm bracelet with a heart-shaped charm. Inside the heart was a mustard seed suspended in acrylic, and on the back it said: “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed…nothing shall be impossible unto you.” My five-year old self couldn’t make sense of this then. Then on Friday, when I learned that RBG had died, for some reason, that verse popped into my head. She was the embodiment of that concept. Her seed grew, and helped provide shade for generations to come. She embodied the type of leadership that recognizes that none of us are free until we are all free.
It is not lost on me that because of the work of Ruth Bader Ginsberg and all of the feminists of the 70’s (and before), that I’ve been able to open a bank account and apply for credit, buy a car and a house on my own without having a husband. I’ve been able to make decisions for myself regarding my body and my healthcare. I’m grateful to her, and the countless others who have set policy and fought for gender equity.
I’ve talked to many women who are bereft and scared because we’ve lost our guiding light. She was measured and dependable and we knew where she stood. I know her legacy is alive, and that seed can be found in many of us still, even though she is no longer physically here. How do we honor her legacy and make our voices heard loud and clear? I have some ideas – including voting for my ability to be able determine the future of my own life.
If you find yourself needing some support in honoring her legacy, grieving, and hoping, let us know. We’re here for you.
Deb Pollock
Director of Development
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Eisenhower Health @ Home: Tonight
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Brian Hess, Program Supervisor, Eisenhower Memory Care Center, shares how to minimize your loneliness of yourself and your loved ones, how to reduce your Isolation of you and your loved ones, how to manage their care at home, and how to keep the day going through effective and purposeful activities to keep cognitive skills from declining in this time of quarantining.
Wednesday, September 23rd
5:30PM - 6:30PM
Meeting ID: 975 8966 4971
No Meeting Password
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Help is Here. Get low-cost virtual therapy @ The Center
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Behavioral Health @ The Center is still accepting new clients for virtual, low cost therapy for the LGBTQ community.
Our clinical internship program offers high quality, affordable counseling tailored to your personal needs.
To start the process, call Mike Martin at:
760 416 7899
or email:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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A journey shared is easier.
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A program for those who have lost a loved one and want assistance in dealing with their loss and to talk with others who understand what they are going through.
This is a 12-week closed Bereavement Therapy group and is facilitated by a MFT Intern under the supervision of a licensed therapist.
To sign up, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
or call 760 416 7899.
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In need of connection? Join us Monday through Friday online in our Zoom Meetings, like Knit Together, Women's Chat, Men's Chat, and more.
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Featured this week:
Conversational Spanish
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For intermediate and advanced level Spanish speakers. Join this group of folks who are practicing and maintaining their Spanish-speaking skills!
Tuesdays @ 2PM
Meeting ID: 818 5634 6717
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Community Food Bank @ The Center
The Community Food Bank @ The Center located at 610 S Belardo Rd, Palm Springs is open for distribution every Thursday from 5PM - 7PM.
Hours for Food Bank donation drop-offs are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 am to Noon.
We are currently in need of the following food items:
- Canned Goods: Tomatoes, Soup, Beans, String Beans, Corn, Fruit
- Canned prepared Food: Spaghetti=O's, Beef Stew, Chili, etc.
- Rice, 1 Pound Package
- Dry Beans, 1 Pound Package
- Macaroni & Cheese
- Pasta
- Ramen
- Cereal
- Crackers
- Protein & Granola Bars
- Oatmeal
- Eggs
- Cat Food & Dog Food
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If you’re a Riverside County resident in need of rental assistance due to COVID-19, the application for help is still open. Applications can be submitted at any time between now and the end of November.
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Online Info Session with Desert Support for Asylum Seekers
Thursday, October 1, 1PM
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Support Latinx Heritage Month
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Support those who give!
Please help support the businesses who support The Center, the work we do, and who give back so generously to our community. Click here for a list of Business Partners with The Center.
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Virtual Fun & Games with Gay Desert Guide
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Our friends at Gay Desert Guide are hosting virtual fun & games events this month! Check out events like Virtual Lesbian Speed Dating for Women of All Ages, Big Gay Bear Hunt Virtual Speed Dating and more! See their full schedule on their Facebook page here.
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Catch the last week of Cinema Diverse
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It's the last week to see these powerful LGBTQ+ stories about where we came from, who we are, and who we can be!
To see a full list of all the movies available for streaming visit cinemadiverse.org.
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Join the virtual conversation today!
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Join PALS seniors and future seniors, for planning ahead prior to a health issue. Conversations create personal network; personal networks create a community that cares.
PALS upcoming events:
Seminar: Saturday, September 26, 2020, 9 AM – 10 AM. Legal Conversations and Beyond: Avoiding the Top Ten Estate Planning Mistakes
PALS Café: Every Wednesday, 4 PM – 5 PM. Password: PALS Cafe Zoom Link here
Death Café: Thursday, October 1, 2020, 2 PM – 3 PM.
RSVP to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Community Virtual Screening, BURDEN with the Brothers of the Desert
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The Brothers of the Desert invite you to a community virtual screening of the film, Burden directed by Nathan Hale-Williams.
BURDEN tells the story of Bennett Lewis; a highly successful and highly educated family man who in spite of his success still has to deal with the perils of being a Black man in America.
Saturday, October 3
4PM - 5:30PM
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PS Pride Run/Walk, Nov 6-8, 2020
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The Palm Springs Frontrunners & Walkers are bringing the spirit of the Palm Springs Pride 5K Run & Walk 2020 virtually! The Race/Walk cannot occur as in years past, but you can still make a HUGE impact by running, walking, skipping or dancing to help raise funds for The LGBT Community Center of the Desert! *Virtual confetti*
At this year’s virtual event, you choose your own 5K route, your own starting time, and your own pace! And best of all - anyone around the globe can participate. Just run or walk your 5k between November 6th and November 8th - and optionally upload your results by the end of day on the 8th.
You can join our Team (The Center) or register as a team/individual! Let’s make this year’s event the most colorful ever!
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Feel Good Story of the Week
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A few weeks back, we got an email and a message on our Facebook page, from a mom (S.C.) with a 15-year-old son living in the Morongo Basin. S.C. was reaching out for some guidance in dealing with a neighbor, who, after learning her son was figuring out his identity, began bullying him, with tropes that are familiar to some of us: that being gay means we are pedophiles.
S.C. did not take these statements lightly. She leapt into action, reaching out to us about what she could do. While we searched for someone, anyone, who could talk to S.C., as an expert — without escalating the situation — S.C. did her own preparation to protect her son, including getting ready to file a restraining order.
Interpersonal conflicts like this, with neighbors, are all too common - we’ve heard our fair share of them. And they almost always begin with ignorance and fear. How do we push back against this ignorance, and protect ourselves and the ones we love? There’s not necessarily a law for conflicts like these, where words are hurled at us, making us feel unsafe where we live.
While we couldn’t find a legal expert to connect with S.C., we checked in on her a week later to see how her and her family were doing over Facebook Messenger. In doing so, we learned of her fierce love for her 15- year-old, and her two other sons, no matter what. Here’s some of what she said: "I love all 3 of my boys and I don’t care if my oldest is gay or not. That’s my baby boy and I have no problem going to jail to protect any of them. I went into mama bear mode and was literally pacing the house cuz I was so mad. I don’t tolerate people attacking my kids, especially for no reason at all."
We shared our deep gratitude for S.C. and could feel her love for her children through that screen, and told her as such. Too many of us have experienced the exact opposite from the people who were supposed to love and keep us safe, no matter what.
So to Momma S.C. — thank you, for reminding us that there is indeed good in the world, even when we can’t see it.
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They were here, and they were ours
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Introducing a new section in our weekly newsletter, where we honor the memory of folks in our community who have passed. If you'd like to submit a name for inclusion here, please fill out this form with the following details:
First Name Last Name (Birth Date – Death Date)
200 words about the person
Submissions received by 5PM Friday will be included in the next week's newsletter, for two consecutive weeks.
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