Tomorrow, April 19th, is the annual Give OUT Day, the one day of the year dedicated specifically to LGBTQ+ giving! In just 5 years of this event, over 33,000 individuals have donated more than $4 million to over 600 participating organizations across the country. This funding provides services, advocacy, and programs to support tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ people.
You can use this link to make a gift to the Matthew Shepard Foundation as part of Give OUT Day 2018. A donation made via Give OUT Day contributes to the visibility of LGBTQ+ organizations and shows a united front of support for these causes across the country. Additionally, by participating in this day of fundraising, the Foundation is eligible to win bonus funding.
As we approach the 20th anniversary of the Foundation, the importance of our work has not been diminished. MSF staff members recently traveled to Laramie for the annual Shepard Symposium on Social Justice. The symposium’s theme was “Difficult Conversations” and many were had—especially on the topic of our rights being chipped away in the current political climate, and how we create safe spaces in light of this struggle. In years past, the Department of Justice supplemented our work against hate crimes, and the State Department would send Judy and Dennis Shepard all over the world to share their story with brave activists fighting homophobia and rejection. We no longer receive this support, so we are relying on donors like you more than ever.
We put your dollars to good use. Please consider giving:
$20 for our 20th anniversary this year.
$25 to fund an LGBTQ+ youth blog on Matthew’s Place.
$42 in honor of the age Matthew would have reached this year.
$100 to help provide essential Hate Crime Training programs in communities where hate crimes are under-reported.
