FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 12, 2007
MEDIA RELEASE
HUDSON VALLEY LGBTQ COMMUNITY CENTER
ANNOUNCES ESTABLISHMENT OF GROUP FOR
LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER SENIORS
KINGSTON, NY (Sept. 12) -- The Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center will formally announce the establishment of a nationally recognized, award-winning social services program for LGBT senior citizens within the Center.
The joint announcement by Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) and the Center will take place Saturday, September 15 during the Center’s second annual “Come OUT & Find OUT" educational conference at the Kingston Holiday Inn. SAGE Executive Director Michael Adams will join Center board president Ginny Apuzzo in making a formal announcement.
“This SAGE chapter is one of the key components in the rapidly expanding programs of education and advocacy the Center provides,” said Ginny Apuzzo. “From programs for our youth, through a PFLAG chapter for parents and friends of lesbian, gay and transgender people, men’s and women’s discussion groups, Alcoholics Anonymous, and now SAGE, the Center is providing programs aimed at the needs of the LGBTQ community in the Hudson Valley.”
“Aging in America is fraught with numerous social pressures, health challenges, and bureaucratic problems,” explains Vanessa Shelmandine, co-chair of the Center Programs committee. "When you factor in sexual and gender identity the difficulties are increased. The addition of SAGE to the other programs offered at the Center will mean local gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender seniors can receive the advocacy,counsel, and social support they deserve.”
Founded in 1978, SAGE (now known as Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders) is the world's oldest and largest nonprofit agency dedicated to serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender senior citizens. Since its inception, SAGE has pioneered programs and services for seniors in the GLBT community, notably the country's first support group for GLBT seniors with HIV and the nation's first program dedicated to care giving services for GLBT seniors.
SAGE, which has affiliates in a number of communities across the country, also provides technical assistance to organizations across the country that serve GLBT older people and serves as a national voice on GLBT aging issues. SAGE will present the workshop "Critical Issues in GLBT Aging" as one of the nine Come OUT & Find OUT Conference sessions aimed at educating and informing attendees.
"By teaming with the Center, SAGE has found an ideal home in which to expand its crucial outreach and support services for seniors, many of whom retire from New York City to the Hudson Valley." said Michael Adams, Executive Director of SAGE. "We look forward to our partnership with an organization that is making a difference in the lives of GLBT people in the Hudson Valley."
* LGBT, GLBT and LGBTQ refer to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community. Different acronyms are used to signify the same group and are interchangeable.
For more information about the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center, visit www.lgbtqcenter.org. For more information about SAGE, visit www.sageusa.org.
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