Numerous Broward County organizations have recently joined forces to raise much needed funds for those most in need in the Fort Lauderdale queer community.

Equality Florida, The Our Fund Foundation and the LGBTQ National Task Force are just three of the participating agencies working to ensure basic humans rights for transgender Floridians.

David Jobin, CEO and President of the Our Fund Foundation, spoke to OutSFL, explaining, “in the state of Florida we know there are policies and hostilities directed at transgender people.” He also commented that “we are certain they are not able to get the care they need.”

Equality Florida, in partnership with the Campaign for Southern Equality, established the Transgender Emergency Grant Fund to support life-saving healthcare for transgender people in Florida. Every dollar raised of this fund goes directly in the hands of a transgender person or their family. The Our Fund Foundation, The Miami Foundation, and the LGBTQ Task Force (The LGBTQ+ Equity Fund), along with Equality Florida triple matched every dollar that was donated up until June 27.

According to Our Fund, “recently we have seen legislation hostile to LGBTQ youth and their families, discriminatory policies in our schools and transphobic rhetoric grow louder and louder. The goal of these efforts: to make LGBTQ people, families and issues invisible again.”

The Campaign for Southern Equality has already distributed more than $120,000 in grants to more than 250 people in Florida through this program over the past couple of months. It is worth noting that this is by far the most of any state in the South where this program is available.

While that news is good, it does highlight the tremendous need here in South Florida.

Stratton Pollitzer, deputy director at Equality Florida, explained, “We understand that thousands of transgender Floridians are experiencing immediate barriers to getting their healthcare. Grants can help cover costs for locating, traveling to, and seeing a new provider. The Campaign for Southern Equality is also providing patient navigation to help families with transgender youth and transgender adults find providers in Florida and nearby who are offering gender-affirming care.”

Another $100,000 has been raised through the fund, allowing for hundreds more grants to be distributed. Grants are in the process of being distributed now.

If you would like to apply for a grant, visit southernequality.org/flresources.