U.S. Bank commits additional $60,000 in local grants to celebrate Pride Month in June

In June 2018, U.S. Bank will donate $10,000 to six nonprofits in Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Palm Springs, San Francisco and Seattle. The donations celebrate Pride and continue our commitment to the communities where our employees live, work and play.  

Chicago: Center on Halsted

“LGBTQ youth ages 13 to 25 are 120 percent more likely to become homeless than their straight peers,” shares Michael Anderson, Chief Development Officer at Center on Halsted. “The primary cause of their homelessness is family rejection due to LGBTQ status, which means these very young people have to learn to live as adults while still in their teens – a tall order for any population.”

This is where Center on Halsted steps in, providing not just housing, but other essential services: intensive case management, behavioral health services and life skills courses. “I had friends of mine who would call the Center on Halsted for help,” says Jose Galarza, Chicago Spectrum president. 

In addition to the donation, U.S. Bank continues its support of their culinary program; and, employees will walk in the Chicago Pride parade alongside Center on Halsted staff for the second year running.

“The Center on Halsted is an incredible advocate for the LGBTQ community here in Chicago,” says JeNyce Boolton, Chicago Spectrum community liaison. “They look at the whole person’s needs – workforce development, health, social services, housing - and pair that with respect and compassion.” 

The Center will use the $10,000 grant from U.S. Bank to bring their work to the underserved South Side of Chicago. 

Los Angeles: Los Angeles LGBT Center

U.S. Bank has been a long-time supporter of the LA LGBT Center, the largest such center in the world and one of the oldest within the LGBTQ community. The Center’s record of efficacy spans more than 49 years.

“In October, the Center brings in over 1,000 teenagers from the Southwest United States for a mentoring program, Models of Pride,” says Hany Haddad, Southern California Spectrum vice president. “U.S. Bank employees proudly volunteer to mentor and teach financial literacy.” 

The additional $10,000 from U.S. Bank will assist the center in day-to-day operations, providing safe meeting space, education, a senior assisted living program, homeless youth services, mental and physical wellness clinics and advocacy for more than 42,000 people every month.

Minneapolis: Quorum 

Last year, U.S. Bank officially became the first-ever Cornerstone Partner for Quorum’s our Minneapolis LGBT Chamber of Commerce. In addition, the company is the annual presenting sponsor of Quorum’s National Coming Out Day Luncheon, which brings in guests including Judy Shepard, who sold out a 500-person crowd last year. 

Quorum will use the $10,000 grant from U.S. Bank to continue educating the community about local LGBT-owned businesses, certifying LGBT-owned businesses with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) and providing information on supplier diversity and procurement through programming in partnership with U.S. Bank Business Resource Groups (BRGs).

“We made this additional contribution to Quorum,” says Spectrum LGBTQ BRG president Matt Hudson, “not only because it ties so closely into the business; helping businesses form, grow and thrive; but it also is work we believe in.”

San Francisco: San Francisco LGBT Center 

The SF LGBT Center provides a wide breadth of services, including youth meal night, career counseling, small business services, job fairs, a computer lab, social activities, mentorships, daycare, various workshops and much more. The $10,000 grant from U.S. Bank will help the Center continue to thrive as the heart, home and hands of the San Francisco LGBT community.

“I’m very involved with the San Francisco LGBTQ Center,” says Carlos Avalos, recruiter. “I volunteer at Youth Meal Night and participated in the San Francisco LGBTQ Career Fair. Every Thursday, I attend Job Club; we’ve hired more than five candidates. Most of the participants at the club are in a career change or struggling in finding a job. Most of them have a lot of retail background and I help them understand how those skills are transferable to the banking industry.” 

Seattle: Greater Seattle Business Association  

The largest local chapter of the NGLCC in the country, Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA), has been a longstanding partner of U.S. Bank. The additional $10,000 grant from U.S. Bank will go to fund the student scholarship fund, which helps LGBTQ youth obtain a post-secondary degree.

“Many scholarships say that they support students with more than funding,” says one 2018 scholarship recipient, “but the GSBA really walks their talk. I am so appreciative of all the people making this happen and for the continued support for students like me, who don’t have the family to fall back on.”

Palm Springs: Sanctuary Palm Springs

Sanctuary Palm Springs is a transitional housing program and foster care specifically designed to meet the needs of LGBTQ foster youth transitioning to adulthood. The nonprofit provides housing, mentorship, counseling, crisis intervention, safety planning, leadership training, community outreach and advocacy, and an environment where listening and learning from one another is prioritized through weekly “family meetings.” 

“The $10,000 grant from U.S. Bank will allow Sanctuary Palm Springs to expand their leadership/mentorship program and help prepare participants with financial literacy skills they need to be successful,” says Matthew Schreiner, Southern California Spectrum president. “We want to help ensure participants are equipped with all the necessary tools to be successful.”