Dear Friend of The Center,

Happy Holidays! With the Holiday season officially upon us, we thought we would take this time to reflect on all we have to be thankful for, and tell you what 2011 meant to The Center Long Beach.

2011 was a great year for The Center. This year was all about stabilization, responsible growth and a sense of Renaissance.

For the past 12 months we have worked to shore up the operational and administrative foundation of The Center. Our programs and services have never run smoother. Because of that we were able to slowly add additional services and expand our hours of operation. We are now open on Saturday afternoons for support group meetings, mental health counseling, cyber center activities and of course free rapid HIV testing.

In addition we’ve also revamped our youth program (MYTE), by adding a new full-time program manager. As a result, the program is growing every day. In fact, right now the youth are planning their second Monster Ball teen dance which will be held at the Center on January 14th.

Our low-cost mental health counseling program and free legal clinic also expanded this year, and The Center continued to play host to over 18 social and support programs each month ranging from Coming Out Support, to Living With HIV/AIDS, Bisexual Social Chat, and many more.

Also, through strict fiscal management we now find ourselves in a much better financial position, but it’s still a work in progress.

Our roster of events in 2011 ranged from social gatherings such as our Beach Bash, the QFilm Festival, QSpeak Speaker Series and partnering with LB Pride to co-host the first-ever Mayor’s Pride Reception in May. We also collaborated on and facilitated a number of social justice forums and events including a lead role in planning the Hate Crimes Rally, and subsequent Hate Crimes Task Force.

All of these events, programs and services require money; a resource that is vital to our continued success and growth. As you consider your options for your 2011 holiday charitable donations, we urge you to consider supporting our mission here at The Center with a one time donation of $100 or more, or sustaining donation for as little as $8 a month. Remember that private donations like yours are crucial to maintain the general operating fund of The Center and essential to keeping our mission alive and well.

Also enclosed is your personal invitation for our 2012 State of The Center presentation on January 28th. Join us for brunch at 9:30 am at The Center, followed by an even more detailed look at our accomplishments in 2011, and a preview of 2012. I hope you can join us!

In the meantime thanks for your continued support and have a safe and joyous holiday season.

With Warmest Regards,

Ron Sylvester Chairman of the Board of Directors		Phyllis Schmidt Interim Executive Director