PRESS RELEASE: OutFront Kalamazoo Collaborates with Domestic Violence Coalition to Meet Needs of Community
Organizations work together for the community to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ youth and adults
PRESS RELEASE
KALAMAZOO, MI October 1, 2022 – OutFront Kalamazoo, one of Michigan’s largest LGBTQ+ community centers, has created a partnership with the Van Buren County Domestic Violence Coalition. This collaboration will provide Kalamazoo County resources for LGBTQ+ individuals to help expand OutFront’s programs and services. This will include assisting with PPOs and counseling for those in a domestic violence situation.
“We are incredibly excited about our new partnership with the Van Buren Domestic Violence Coalition. Intentionally partnering in this way allows both organizations to reach members of the LGBTQ+ community in varying ways and allows us to provide resources and support in ways we were not able to do before,” stated Tracy Hall, Executive Director.
The mission of the Domestic Violence Coalition is to provide compassionate assistance to victims of sexual and domestic violence and to work toward eliminating these crimes in our community. Services provided by the DVC advocate in OutFront’s office will be PPO assistance, a Wednesday night support group for youth ages 12-18, and onsite therapy for sexual assault and domestic violence victims.
“I am looking forward to providing knowledge and support for these issues within our community,” stated Rob Castner, Domestic Violence Coalition Advocate.
The demand for support services and resources is greater today than at any time in OutFront Kalamazoo’s 35-year history.
“OutFront is committed to being a safe space for every member of the LGBTQ+ community. We recognize that accessing our space might be difficult for some, which is why we are working on creating safe spaces with our community partners, like the Van Buren County Domestic Violence Coalition,” continued Hall.
Program information can be found on our site at https://www.outfrontkzoo.org/programs.
