Washington County Gay Straight Alliance
Program manager Phoebe Armstrong, left, and center director Kathy Cameron give away Washington County Gay Straight Alliance merchandise and information at the Washington PA Pride event in June. The WCGSA has served the area's LGBTQ+ community and allies for 10 years, and is in need of donations to continue offering services, resources and safe spaces.
Crowds gather beneath the Main Street Pavilion for live performances during the Washington County Gay Straight Alliance's Pride Festival in June. The WCGSA is in need of donations to continue offering community events and LGBTQ+ resources to community members and allies.
For a decade, the Washington County Gay Straight Alliance has provided education, socialization, well-being and empowerment to the area鈥檚 LGBTQ+ community.
While an established organization, in some ways, the nonprofit is just getting started.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been around quite a while,鈥� said聽WCGSA center director and board chair Kathy Cameron. 鈥淲e started using space at the Center on Strawberry in 2017 so we could grow our programming to meet the needs of the LGBTQ+ community, in particular youth, the transgender community. Mostly what we do is provide social opportunities, but we also connect people with resources and provide information to the community with our outreach.鈥�
Since bringing aboard a program director 鈥� the WCGSA鈥檚 first staffer 鈥� in June, the nonprofit has expanded its drop-in hours and offerings.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot going on. We have a Trans Parents Group, we鈥檝e expanded our youth programming. Ours doors are open more, our numbers are up, we鈥檙e actually expanding into different parts of the community that we have not been able to reach before. We鈥檙e growing, and that鈥檚 a great thing,鈥� Cameron said.
The local Gay Straight Alliance recently launched a Sexual and Gender Alliance (SAGA) group for those ages 18 to 24 and has begun hosting talks for LGBTQ+ community members and allies. In October, the WCGSA hosted a Living with HIV forum and welcomed the Trevor Project for a Protecting PA LGBTQ Youth Town Hall, where speakers from Philadelphia, Oklahoma and Ohio discussed transitioning.
The nonprofit also spearheaded Washington County鈥檚 first pride festival in June.
鈥淲e had Washington PA Pride, an all-day festival on Main Street. We had really great attendance, a lot of great entertainment. It was a very safe event,鈥� said Cameron. 鈥淲e brought business, also, to the community. A lot of people flew the rainbow flags. It made people feel very welcome. It was kind of a win-win for the community.鈥�
To continue offering social and educational events, resources including mental health services and support groups, and safe spaces to the LGBTQ+ community, allies and the greater Washington County area, the WCGSA needs donations.聽
鈥淲e fundraised for 10 years to hire someone. Now we鈥檙e motivated to keep them because they鈥檙e outstanding,鈥� Cameron said. 鈥淓verything costs money, so we do have to fundraise.鈥�
Donations can be made year-round to the WCGSA online at https://wcgsa.org/, where you can also learn more about the nonprofit.
Stay up-to-date on the latest WCGSA happenings on social media at聽https://www.facebook.com/WashCoGSA/ or https://www.instagram.com/wcgsa_programming/.