The unassuming duplex sits nestled along an unassuming tree lined street in an unassuming neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale. From the outside, it blends in with its surroundings. Take a step inside, and you feel love, compassion and, most of all, hope.

Sunshine Pride House (SPH) is a passion project more than two years in the making. Sunshine Cathedral, FLITE Center, and SunServe are behind this joint venture to help LGBTQ youth get a foothold in life. Some are aging out of foster care. Others are trans. There are too many stories to list here.

“A third of our youth that are exiting foster care that we serve already are representative of the LGBT+ population,” Christine Frederick, FLITE Center CEO, said. “Not addressing this would be negligent on our part.”

The goal is to help youth between 18 and roughly 23 years old get on their feet. The house is more than shelter. It’s one pillar of a process.

“The wrap around services at SunServe are also available to the youth,” SunServe CEO Tony Lima said. “When they come in, part of the agreement is they have to be in services. They go through Gabby [Corrado] for life coaching, but they also get referred to SunServe’s team for therapy. If necessary, [SunServe Director of Trans Services] Misty Eyez if they’re trans.”

FLITE Center helps with life training skills, while Sunshine Cathedral owns the property.

Corrado is a case manager at SunServe and works closely with the residents.

“I’m working with life skills; budgeting, cooking, organizing, job searching. It could be from hobbies and passions. Any skill that encompasses life.”

Residents are required to keep up the house like they would their own home, stay in treatment, and get a job. SPH helps them save by taking a certain percentage of their income and putting it aside. All money is returned when they move out and can be used as rent deposits, car payments, insurance, and other life necessities.

Corrado, along with Quay Montgomery and David Alan, are in constant contact with the kids.

“When a youth sends out a question or concern, one or all of us will answer. We’re constantly showing up and always there for them,” Alan said.

Once they get assimilated, Alan says they get specialized care just for them.

“Every plan is individualized. What are your goals? What do you want to achieve?”

The first step, earning their trust, is key.

“When they come into our care, they come with a lot of trauma. Once we show them that we’re not backing out and help them on their journey, that’s when they start to open up,” Montgomery said.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

This version of SPH may only be a couple of years in the making. But the idea goes back a decade. Michael Kalb is the driving force behind the project. He came out later in life, and as he discovered the community, he was determined to be a part of LGBTQ culture.

He found situations don’t get better on their own, noting that LGBTQ stigma increased after the UK adopted marriage equality.

One particular story stands out.

“I remember seeing a report of trans youth sleeping by a bus stop.”

While many comments talked about how it reflected badly on the city, Kalb chose compassion over condemnation.

“I’ve always had love in my heart, but it was closed off. There’s good in this world. I want to focus on the good we can all do together.”

He worked for years to create a safe space for LGBTQ youth. No situation was ever quite right. Now, working with Our Fund Foundation as a partner along with FLITE, Sunshine Cathedral, and SunServe he found the right situation at the right time.

This is the second house they’ve overseen. The first housed six people, this one will hold twelve once all renovations are finished. The place feels like a home. A living room for hanging out, a kitchen, beautiful bathrooms, and six bedrooms with two people in a room, and a nice backyard area for hanging out.

The project is just getting started. Undoubtedly there is a need for more. But for an ever-changing group of young people in need, it is a new and valuable lifeline. The journey hasn’t been easy and isn’t getting easier.

But as Montgomery said, this team isn’t going anywhere.

“Do they fail? Yes. Do they fail again? Yes. But we never give up.”