News
Pastor Brooke Baker (right) is pastor of Church of the Redeemer UCC, an open and affirming United Church of Christ congregation in Westlake, Ohio. The church made an unexpected donation in December 2021 just as PFLAG Cleveland launched its 2022 Annual Fund. Pastor Brooke is shown at Pride in the CLE 2022 with Melissa Hille and Jeff Kirkey, members of Church of the Redeemer UCC.
A Bucket List Item Paves the Way for Church of the Redeemer Donation
Nearly a decade ago, Pastor Brooke Baker attended her first PFLAG Cleveland support group meeting when she came out and her mother struggled with her sexual orientation. They patched things up for awhile until Brooke and her partner became engaged. Her mom refused to attend Brooke’s upcoming wedding. Knowing that PFLAG was supportive, Brooke returned so she could talk it out in a safe place.
This connection endured, leading to an unexpected gift from the Church of the Redeemer UCC, an open and affirming United Church of Christ congregation in Westlake, Ohio. The donation arrived during PFLAG Cleveland's Annual Fund campaign. The Annual Fund is used to support PFLAG Cleveland's mission of support, education and advocacy, helping it to reach thousands of individuals and organizations.
Read the full story here: "A Bucket List Item Paves the Way for Church of the Redeemer Donation" by Kavita Sherman
Beginning June 1, 2022, PFLAG Cleveland and the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland have entered a new partnership agreement. The partnership "will give PFLAG Cleveland a stronger presence in the greater Cleveland Community. The expertise of The Center will help broaden our outreach and support to the LGBTQ+,” said Tom Falcone, President of PFLAG Cleveland.
PFLAG Cleveland and the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland Initiate Partnership to Provide Enhanced Services to the Region
PFLAG Cleveland and the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland have entered a new partnership that will strengthen the impact of each organization and provide enhanced services to LGBTQ+ individuals and families in Northeast Ohio. This is the first time in PFLAG Cleveland’s 37-year history that it has partnered with another non-profit. The Center will begin to support the administrative functions of PFLAG Cleveland, allowing its all-volunteer advisory board to focus more time on mission-oriented activities. The agreement is the result of a 2021 PFLAG Cleveland strategic plan, funded by a grant from The George Gund Foundation.
Read the press release: PFLAG CLEVELAND AND THE LGBT CENTER OF GREATER CLEVELAND INITIATE PARTNERSHIP TO PROVIDE ENHANCED SERVICES TO THE REGION
FreshWater article
PFLAG Cleveland's 2020 scholarship winner, Dan Eggers, is shown at left. His story and stories about other LGBTQ+ youth and the issues they face during the pandemic are featured in Freshwater Cleveland. Read the story: https://www.freshwatercleveland.com/features/LGBTQPandemic111120.aspx