OUR IMPACT
Since 2016, wayOUT has raised over $750,000 for LGBTQ+ youth centers across the country. At the cornerstone of the wayOUT approach to fundraising, is the idea that these centers best understand the needs of their youth and their communities. While wayOUT vets Grant Recipients through an extensive application process, the final grant is 100% at the disposal of the recipient. As a result, the impact of dollars raised by wayOUT has a wide and varied range of projects.
BY THE NUMBERS
wayOUT's diverse partners offer myriad programs aimed at best fulfilling the needs of their youth. We have supported youth shelters, transitional programs, and community centers to name a few.
The programs include personal and group therapy sessions, in-house and out-house housing services, work programs, gender affirming services, HIV testing and medication, and more!
A GROWING PORTFOLIO
From its inception, wayOUT has been focused on reaching communities with lesser resources than those of our local chapters. While not a hard rule, today our chapters are primarily located in more progressive communities while our Grant Recipients have been in more conservative communities where local and state policy (as well as local mindset) makes fundraising difficult.
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Today, wayOUT has worked with 22 Grant Recipients in 16 states including Alabama (2), Alaska (1), Arizona (1), Florida (5), Kansas (1), Louisiana (1), Michigan (1), Mississippi (1), Missouri (1), New York (1), North Carolina (1), South Carolina (1), South Dakota (1), Tennessee (1), Texas (2) & Utah (1).
AWARDS RAISED
The goal for the first Bay Area Gayla (2017) was $20,000. After wayOUT's founder's initial fundraiser for the Trevor Project (see here), it seemed a reasonable amount. Fate, hard work, passion, and a bit of luck would have other plans as the first Gayla raised over $100,000.
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In 2022, wayOUT raised over $350,000 for LGBTQ+ youth centers (Grant Recipients) across 3 chapters in 1 year.
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wayOUT aims to invest over $3M in Grant Recipients by 2025.