Your donation goes toward providing programs and events, maintaining our web site, phone line, LGBT directory, email newsletter, and occasional mailings.

The Task Force was incorporated to encourage an awareness of issues affecting LGBT people. The Task Force continues to work toward the elimination of prejudice and discrimination, and toward improving relationships and understanding among and between lesbian, gay bisexual, transgender, and heterosexual people.

The Ithaca LGBT Task Force is run by a volunteer Board of Directors who often works behind the scenes with other organizations and legislators to promote equality in Tompkins County. Our activities include:

• Support and referral for community members is an important niche that the Task Force fills. People who are newly out, facing new situations, or who are isolated from the LGBT community for a variety of reasons contact the Task Force for assistance.
  
  
• The Task Force maintains an email alert list serve to provide information regarding community events and legislation in a timely manner. Contact chillyrodent@gmail.com to be added to the list.
  
  
• The Task Force maintains a web site that is updated with current events and links to other appropriate organizations and businesses. It is a present priority to expand the scope of the web site to include a community calendar, more event postings, and community discussions. The address is: www.ilgbttf.org
  
  
• Organizing programs and events that offer a warm and friendly place for people to meet around a variety of topics, including meeting candidates during certain election cycles.
  
  
• Donations are made to appropriate groups, which in the past have included the Ithaca 50 marriage group and the Ithaca High School Gay/Straight Alliance for a leadership retreat. More recently, we've setup the "Gay/Straight Unity Fund" to assist Spencer-Van Etten High School students establish a GSA or social justice club at their school, following an incident where a student was disciplined and sent home for wearing a t-shirt that proclaimed, "gay? fine by me."
  
  
• The Task Force has a speakers bureau that speaks to groups upon request and participates in panel discussions across the region.
  
  
• Networking is done with other organizations including Empire State Pride Agenda, Tompkins County LGBT Democratic Club, PFLAG, Southern Tier AIDS Program (STAP), the Tompkins County Working Group on LGBT Aging, and local college LGBT organizations.
  
  
• The Task Force maintains the visibility of the LGBT community and works on community issues. The Ithaca Journal, Ithaca Times, and city administration seek Task Force commentary and perspective on LGBT issues. The Community Police Board includes Task Force members. Task Force members participated in organizing the formation of an LGBT Democratic Club in Tompkins County. Task Force members are an integral part of advocating legislation that ensures equality for all people.
  
  
• The Task Force has helped organize the community in support of marriage equality and worked to strategize our response, enlisting the support of Empire State Pride Agenda, and setting up the marriage equality fund. Task Force members are organizing members of the Ithaca 50 marriage equality lawsuit.

 

Your generous contribution is one of the best ways to ensure the ILGBTTF can continue its work. Another way is to join the board.

Please make your check payable to ILGBTTF and mail to:

P.O. Box 3951
Ithaca, NY 14852-3951

All gifts are tax deductible.