Community Needs

Baltimore's LGBTQ community needs support
responding to COVID-19.

Here are our community's top priorities and needs, sourced directly from local LGBTQ leadership. For questions or inquiries about supporting the community with these projects, e-mail jabari.lyles@baltimorecity.gov.

Housing

  • Providing temporary rent assistance and housing placement for vulnerable community members experiencing homelessness to safely shelter in place. Emphasis and focus on the housing needs of TLGBQ youth, sex workers, elders, survivors of intimate partner violence and people living with HIV.

Food, Hygiene and Basic Needs

  • Supporting TLGBQ-affirming food distribution sites.

  • Supplying hygiene materials (masks, gloves, soap, sanitizer, wipes, mouthwash) to vulnerable community.

  • Direct cash assistance

Youth

  • Support for TLGBQ youth who are at home with unsafe/unaffirming parents or guardians.

  • Support for TLGBQ youth to connect with a virtual community.

  • Connectivity: access to phones, web devices and internet services.

Elders

  • Food, supply and medicine delivery.

  • Wellness check-ins and virtual community building.

General Operating Support

  • Ensuring local LGBTQ orgs are able to respond to constituents while keeping staff employed.

  • Supporting the changing operations of local LGBTQ orgs responding to COVID-19.

  • Giving extra buffer support for local orgs to continue servicing community.