The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center has formally changed its name to the Los Angeles LGBT Center, which it says “more accurately reflects the diversity of people we have always served.”
In an announcement of the name change, the Center also said it is launching a $25 million campaign to fund an expansion that will more than double the number of our beds it provides for homeless LGBT young people, provide more than 100 units of affordable housing for low-income seniors and young adults and create a new senior center.
In a press release, Lorri Jean, the Center’s president, said: “When finished, the new building will form a unique campus with our arts, educational and cultural facility—The Village at Ed Gould Plaza—that’s directly across the street from it and span more than one city block in Hollywood. It will also become the Center’s new headquarters, facilitating a major expansion of health and medical services at our current headquarters (McDonald/Wright building).”
The Center said it serves more than 42,000 clients each month. “This increased demand has strained our facilities and programs beyond capacity, especially in our programs for youth and seniors,” the press release said. “Our beds for homeless youth are always full and demand for the services of our Youth Center on Highland are at an all-time high. And the number of clients in our Senior Services department has tripled in the past three years.”
The Center said it already has secured $18.5 million in pledges. Those pledges include $6.5 million from Anita May Rosenstein, which the Center said is the largest gift ever given by a living person to an LGBT organization.
Rosenstein, 60, who lives in Laguna Beach, is the great-granddaughter of David May, founder of the May Department Stores.
