(HUDSON, N.Y.) – The Hudson Pride Foundation has announced new collaborations and partnerships with the City of Hudson’s Office of the Aging Commissioner, Amanda Henry, and with SAGE, the Service & Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Elders organization, as well as a hiatus in its heretofore annual Hudson Pride parade and festival.
In an effort to provide services and resources to the growing LGBTQ (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer) elder population in Columbia Country, the Hudson Pride Foundation Board of Directors has announced a collaboration with the City of Hudson’s Office of the Aging Commissioner, Amanda Henry.
Similarly, as part of this effort to support this population segment, the Foundation also announced its intent to partner with SAGE, the Service & Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Elders organization. It is the goal of HPF to become a SAGE Affiliate and join several dozen other active and vibrant nationwide affiliates.
“I’m so grateful for the active support of HPF in helping to get our new Elder Center up and running. We visited SAGE headquarters in New York City together. Their open willingness to share years of experience ensures we will be able to open a better organized and professional center for Hudson’s elders,” added Henry, speaking of the collaboration between the two organizations.
The Foundation is quick to point out that its original mission – encouraging and supporting high school students in their efforts to achieve – will not change. HPF donates $4,000 annually to Columbia County students (four $1,000 scholarships awarded to freshman, sophomore, junior and senior students, respectively) and to date, the Foundation has awarded $18,000 in scholarships to those who have demonstrated a real commitment to promoting and supporting LGBTQ equal rights. Applications for scholarship for 2016 are due on June 1st and can be found online here.
Moving forward, the Foundation will continue to work with highly effective partners (including The Hetrick Martin Institute in Manhattan and the Pride Center of the Capital Region in Albany) to broaden the reach into local schools to provide rich, in-depth LGBTQ Cultural Competency and Cultural Humility training for teachers and staff.
Last week, the Foundation was honored for its good works at the Hudson Valley LGTBQ Community Center’s 2016 Gala. Accepting the award for the foundation, Executive Director Martha Harvey said the group was honored to be recognized among the many LGBTQ organizations in area, noting that while HPF’s core mission has not changed, the overall strategy has matured and that continued community support, recognition and donations are vital to current and future operations.
The Hudson Pride Foundation is run by a volunteer board. Its success depends entirely on generous donations made by local businesses and individuals. For the past six years, the Foundation has organized the annual Hudson Pride parade and festival (along with producing The Little Apple resource guide since 2012). While it looks forward to regrouping around these endeavors in the near future, board members say the Foundation is taking a break this year, as it needs an infusion of energy from new participants who wish to be shareholders in these events and activities.
Those interested in volunteering time and skills for the ongoing Speaker Series, Educational Symposium and Elder Outreach should contact Martha Harvey, martha@hudsonpridefoundation.org.
About Hudson Pride Foundation:
The Hudson Pride Foundation is a non-profit, 501(c)3, all-volunteer organization that provides the Columbia County LGBTQ community with support, events, education and under-graduate scholarships.