Valley Youth House & Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center Announce Ribbon Cutting of Project SILK Lehigh Valley
Allentown, PA (2/13/16) – Valley Youth House and Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center will be hosting the Ribbon Cutting for their LGBT youth center, Project SILK Lehigh Valley, a collaborative program resulting from a $250,000 partnership grant from the HIV Prevention & Care Project to launch a professionally-staffed LGBT youth empowerment program in Allentown, PA.
The program provides a recreation-based safe space model every-day after school for LGBT youth, with a specific goal of reaching LGBT youth of color for HIV intervention purposes. The program is housed in 2,000 square feet of dedicated program space at Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, in the previously unoccupied first floor, which is now solely dedicated to LGBT youth programs.
This unique partnership builds on the expertise of Valley Youth House in providing emergency interventions and youth empowerment programs and the expertise of Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center in providing LGBT health programs and supportive services to the LGBT community. It also fills an unmet need in the Lehigh Valley to provide professionally-staffed direct, daily support outside of school for LGBT youth in the region.
Andrew Palomo, Valley Youth House Research & Evaluation Coordinator and Program Supervisor, stated, “This is a great opportunity to partner with the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center to provide programs to an under-served population in the Lehigh Valley. This collaborative efforts remains true to Valley Youth House’s mission of being inclusive by providing services to all youth and will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the LGBTQIA community in our area.”
Adrian Shanker, Executive Director of Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, commented, “Addressing the needs of LGBT youth in our community is critical to our mission of supporting the local LGBT community. Supporting LGBT youth in their leadership and identity development and providing LGBT health and wellness for LGBT youth makes us proud to partner with Valley Youth House on this exciting program.”
The Ribbon Cutting for Project SILK Lehigh Valley will be held Monday, February 20, 2017 at 3 pm at Bradbury Sullivan LGBT Community Center located at 522 W Maple St, Allentown, PA 18101. The event will feature a ribbon cutting, open house, and brief remarks by the following speakers:
- Thomas Harrington, President & CEO, Valley Youth House
- Adrian Shanker, Executive Director, Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center
- Kim Ketterer, Youth Programs Manager, Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center
- Youth Speaker
Information Provided By:
About Valley Youth House
Valley Youth House (valleyyouthhouse.org) does more than just provide homes for Pennsylvania’s vulnerable, abused and homeless youth. Valley Youth House partners with thousands of individuals each year to build a solid foundation for young people and their families. With dedicated street outreach, housing, counseling, skills training, health, prevention, and intervention services, we empower resilient young people in establishing promising futures.
Contact: Emily Conners, Development Officer, Valley Youth House, 610-820-0166, econners@valleyyouthhouse.org
About Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center
Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center (www.bradburysullivancenter.
Contact: Adrian Shanker, Executive Director, Bradbury-sullivan LGBT Community Center, 610-347-9988, Adrian@bradburysullivancenter.
