2021 CHECK CELEBRATION (PRESS RELEASE)
Editorial Contact:
Ranjeev Singh, Communication Committee Chair
Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation
Email ranjeev@grassrootsgayrights.org
Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation provides $158,000 to Beneficiary Organizations in 2021, totaling more than $3.42 million over our 32-year history
SAN FRANCISCO, CA. December 5, 2021 — The Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation concluded its 2021 fundraising season of events. After two years of virtual and several postponed events due to COVID-19, the Foundation Events Committee and Board of Directors were overjoyed to reconnect their guests on the dance floor for REAL BAD 32! It was all about seeing our community come together and rejoice as we reaffirm our mission of changing lives by creating a happy, healthy, and connected Bay Area LGBTQ community.
The Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation is excited to announced that its fundraising events and charitable contributions totaled $158,000, which will be donated to the following LGBTQ beneficiary organizations:
San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus
The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus creates extraordinary music and experiences that build community, inspire activism, and foster compassion at home and around the world. The donation provided by Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation is being used for their RHYTHM (Reaching Youth Thorugh Music) workshop program. RHYTHM uplifts and supports students in expressing their authentic selves regardless of their sexual orientation. The program also promotes the power of being an ally.
Solano Pride Center is led by and devoted to serving Solano County’s LGBTQ community. The center prioritizes serving LGBTQ youth, seniors, people living with HIV/AIDS, and those experiencing challenges with mental health. They aim to build a strong, healthy, equitable, and just community. The donation provided by Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation is being used for the PrEP program they have built to actively educate and support the community in need.
Queer LifeSpace
Queer Life Space provides evidence-Based Training & Mental Health Services for the LGBTQ+ Community. For Queer People. By Queer People
LYRIC
LYRIC builds community and inspires positive social change through education enhancement, career training, health promotion, and leadership development with LGBTQ youth, their families, and allies of all races, classes, genders, and abilities.
Flagging in the Park beneficiaries
National AIDS Memorial
National AIDS Memorial Grove remembers, in perpetuity the lives lost in the struggle against HIV/AIDS by sharing those stories. They offer healing and hope to survivors, and they nspire new generations of activists in the fight against stigma, denial, and hate, for a just future.
Oakland LGBTQ Community Center
The Oakland LGBTQ Community Center is dedicated to enhancing and sustaining the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals, our families and allies, by providing educational, social, and health related activities, programs and services.
San Francisco AIDS Foundation
San Francisco AIDS Foundation promotes health, wellness, and social justice for communities most impacted by HIV, through sexual health and substance use services, advocacy, and community partnerships.
Maitri
Maitri (pronounced “my-tree”) is Sanskrit for “compassionate friendship.” They provide compassionate residential care for people in need of hospice or 24-hour medical care.
Miguel Jimenez, Event Chair for this year’s REAL BAD 32 party said, “What a year! It's been an honor and pleasure to be the Events Chair for 2020 and 2021. I’m so glad that this year we are able to have this check celebration in person. We had many touch and go moments due to COVID, however, we were still able to have a great season of events this year. Our focus was all about resurgence and having our community come back together on the dance floor and raise money for our beneficiaries. Thank you to everyone on the 2021 Events Committee for taking my vision and running with it. You created magic for our guests and an experience they will cherish for years to come. Your energy and enthusiasm were infectious and the care and thought you put into everything was definitely felt by everyone in attendance.”
Will Vitagliano, incoming Event Chair for next year’s REAL BAD 33 and RITUAL parties said, “I am excited to return, after what I thought was going to be a one year hiatus, to this amazing organization that has been so near and dear to my heart. I am beyond excited to welcome back some seasoned veterans to the Events Committee and enthusiastic to welcome some talented new team members for an unforgettable Season of Events.”
About the Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation and its Season of Events
REAL BAD and RITUAL are produced by the Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. These annual fundraising events are completely volunteer-produced, and are distinct in that the costs of producing the events are underwritten entirely by the party’s Hosts, a Circle of Friends who volunteer their time and resources to make REAL BAD a yearly sell-out success. This unique support enables 100% of the general admission ticket price from REAL BAD to be donated to charity. The total donated to worthy non-profits over the event’s 32-year history is more than $3.42 million. The Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation changes lives by supporting organizations that promote a happy, healthy, and connected LGBT community.
For more information, visit www.realbad.org and www.grassrootsgayrights.org
