The LGBT Center of the Desert Expands Women's Programs, Services

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - March 23, 2013 - PRLog -- Palm Springs, CA  - With the recent addition of female board members, staff and volunteers, The LGBT Community Center of the Desert (http://TheCenterPS.org) is fulfilling its mission to be a resource for all members of the LGBT community.  Along with an expanded focus on programming benefiting youth, wellness and mental health based on the needs of the community, The Center has drastically expanded its focus on programming responding to the needs of women in the desert’s LGBT community.

With more than half of the Center staff and four of their board’s Directors being female, women’s input is now integral to guiding The Center’s direction of programming and services. “Besides local residents and snow birds, we also have an increasing number of women visitors who drop by to see what’s going on in Palm Springs. They end up taking our classes or enjoying one of our special events,” says Pennie Feehan, Board Member.


The response to new programs has been tremendous. One example of the type of women’s programming success is taking place on Sunday, March 24 “Getting the Word OUT” featuring three noted lesbian authors and a publisher. In 2012, 75 people attended the first author event with Katherine Forrest,whose Curious Wine is considered to be the most popular lesbian novel of all time. This year, Ms. Forrest is back along with Dr. Ronni Sanlo, owner of Purple Books Publishing, and author KG MacGregor (Just This Once). The event includes a meet-and-see with the authors and Q&A opportunity starting at 1pm at Matchbox Palm Springs (http://matchboxpalmsprings.com) located at 155 S. Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs.

In addition the February benefit performance by out musician Tret Fuer (Blackberry Blues) at Rock Garden drew over 100 guests. On-going women’s programming includes the Lavender Women’s Writing Group, Lesbian Book Club, 50+ and FIT, Gentle Yoga and more.

“We listen to the members and the community to build our programming and special events,” says Gary Costa, Interim Executive Director.  The expanded services and programs were needed to help the whole community after Desert Pride Center and Gay Associated Youth closed during the economic downturn. “As the only LGBT center remaining in the valley, many groups saw The Center as the place for support and we've responded as quickly as possible to our new paradigm,” says Costa.  The past two and a half years have seen an evolution of the organization from a one-time “Senior Center” to one that has quadrupled the number of people it serves and that now strives to offer programming to every segment of the diverse LGBT population across the entire Coachella Valley.

“Programming has grown dynamically to meet the needs of the whole community we serve today,” says Steve Seager, Program Manager for The Center. Attendance and interest help them develop and maintain programs both here at their facility in Palm Springs as well as in the community overall.

In the months ahead The Center will be doing a community-wide health needs assessment. “As much as we get feedback from members on a daily basis, it will be important for us to hold these larger discussions with the community to hear from people who may not have come to the Center yet,” says Costa.

For information on services, events and programming available from the LGBT Community Center of the Desert you can visit their web site TheCenterPS.org or stop by their office in Palm Springs which is open to the public Monday through Friday, 8:30am – 4:30pm.

The LGBT Community Center of the Desert is a 501[c]3 nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of the entire LGBT community in the Coachella Valley through health, wellness, social and educational programming to benefit members of all ages and backgrounds. The Center advances its mission through a clinical counseling and internship program, a weekly food bank, senior programming, youth anti-bullying and suicide prevention/support programs, extensive social and recreational offerings, computer training in the David Bohnett Cyber Center, a growing volunteer program and signature special events in the community for its members and allies.

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