Pride Center of Maryland facts for kids
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| Founded | 1977 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Paulette Young |
| Type | nonprofit organization |
| Legal status | 501(c)(3) |
| Focus | Sponsors Pride celebration in Baltimore since 1978 |
| Location | |
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Area served
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Baltimore and Central Maryland |
| Merrick Moses | |
| Mimi Demissew | |
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Revenue (2017)
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$595,792 |
| Expenses (2017) | $493,282 |
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Employees (2017)
|
10 |
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Formerly called
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Gay Community Center of Baltimore |
The Pride Center of Maryland is a non-profit organization that helps people in the LGBT community. It serves people in Baltimore and the surrounding areas of Central Maryland. The center is located in Baltimore. It used to be called the Gay Community Center of Baltimore.
Contents
History of the Pride Center
How the Center Started
The Pride Center of Maryland began in 1977. It was first known as the Gay Community Center of Baltimore (GCCB). Paulette Young was one of the people who helped start it. She became the center's first president. Many other people also helped create the center.
In March 1978, the center rented a building on Maryland Avenue. A health clinic opened there within a month. The center officially opened its doors on June 12, 1978.
Growing and Moving In
By early 1979, the GCCB bought its own building. This was on West Chase Street. It was one of the first LGBT centers to own its building. The building was an old warehouse. It needed a lot of work. There was little electricity, plumbing, or heating.
Volunteers from the community helped fix up the building. It soon had offices, a place for a newspaper, and rooms for different LGBT groups. There was also a floor for social events.
Services Offered by the Center
By 1980, the center offered many services. It had a hotline for information and help. This hotline was open from 3 PM to midnight. A medical clinic also operated twice a week. It started as a clinic for certain health issues. Later, it offered more general health services.
The center also provided counseling. Professional counselors were available twice a week. People could drop in or make appointments. The center held regular talks and events. These helped educate both the LGBT community and the public. A library with books and research materials was also available. The center also had a speaker's bureau and did community outreach.
Newspaper and Name Change
The center used to publish a newspaper called Gay Life. This newspaper focused on LGBT culture. In 2016, Gay Life joined with another newspaper called Baltimore Outloud.
In 2019, the community center changed its name. It became known as the Pride Center of Maryland.
See also
- List of LGBT community centers
- Moveable Feast (organization)
