UWD Launches Program for LGBT Youth

 United Way of Delaware (UWD) is entering a new arena, supporting the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community with its newly formed PRIDE Council. This council is composed of youth, as well as representatives from many of UWD’s major corporate and nonprofit partners and will focus on UWD’s new partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Delaware (BBBSDE).

 Thanks to funding from UWD and the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, BBBSDE will implement a mentoring program aimed at LGBTQ youth in Delaware. (The “Q” stands for “questioning.”)

 This mentoring program is scheduled to launch at a summit in October 2012 and will initially focus on middle and high schools. The program will help each school form a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA). UWD is seeking council members as well as mentors for this initiative. For more information, contact Bob Martz at bmartz@uwde.org.

 Although this is a new area of focus for UWD, the organization is jumping in full-force. As a member of Delaware’s Anti-Bullying Taskforce, UWD leadership advocated for House Bill 268, which recently passed both houses of the Delaware General Assembly and is awaiting Gov. Jack Markell’s signature. As a result of this bill, schools will be required to make a judgment about whether bullying incidents were due at least in part to a person’s race, age, marital status, creed, religion, color, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or national origin.

Big Brothers & Big Sisters Now Has A Mentoring Program for LGBT Youth

Did you know that 7.5% of Delaware youth identify as LGBTQ? Most don’t have someone they feel comfortable talking to about the important things going on in their lives, but Big Brothers Big Sisters of Delaware with the United Way of Delaware want to change that. With Big Brothers Big Sisters, we aim to match LGBTQ youth with an LGBTQ or allied adult, someone who they can talk to and trust. Do you know an adult or youth who would benefit from our program? Contact Big Brothers Big Sisters today. For info call Colleen Dougherty,Big Brother Big Sisters of DE, LGBTQ Mentor Case Manager, (302) 998-3577, cdougherty@bbbsde.org