“Our board of directors is proud to announce AspenOUT will grant nearly $55,000 this year to local, state and national organizations,” commented AspenOUT Executive Director Kevin McManamon. “In addition, we will award four scholarships to graduation seniors from area high schools, totaling $16,000.”
Returning for its 41st year in 2018, Aspen Gay Ski Week, Aspen OUT’s annual fundraiser, generates the funds to grant local, regional and national organizations that provide support to the LGBTQ community.
The list of grant recipients includes:
· Andy Zanca Youth Empowerment Program: Develops leadership and identity by providing training to youth in community broadcasting on KDNK; AZYEP broadcasts youth news programs about acceptance and tolerance
· International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association Foundation: Supports initiatives that advance safety, dignity and respect for LGBT travelers, with a particular emphasis on emerging destinations
· Tyler Clementi Foundation: Creates safe, inclusive spaces for individuals facing bullying, harassment and humiliation
· Point Foundation: Provides LGBT students with scholarships, mentoring, leadership development, and community service training
· The Gender Identity Center of Colorado: Provides support for all gender identities through direct services and social change
· Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund: Works to achieve equality for transgender people through public education, test-case litigation, direct legal services and public policy
· Colorado Health Network, including Western Colorado AIDS Project: Serves nearly 4,000 individuals living with HIV/AIDS in Colorado, including 22 counties in Western Colorado
· Aspen Film: Strives to enlighten, enrich, educate, and entertain through film
· Aspen Hope Center: Creates hope to those in emotional crisis and works to decrease the stigma of mental illness; the center offers a local youth outreach program for LGBTQ students, called “Alphabet Soup”
· You Can Play: Dedicated to ensuring equality for all athletes without regard to sexual orientation; challenges the culture of locker rooms and spectators by focusing only on an athlete’s skills and work ethic
· One Colorado Education Fund: Provides educational programming on LGBTQ issues, conducts research to understand public opinion and develops campaigns to build public support for fairness and equality
· Response: Assists survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in the Roaring Fork Valley
· Lesbian Health Fund: Strives to improve the health of lesbians and other sexual minority women and their families through research
· PFLAG Roaring Fork Valley: The local chapter of PFLAG, the nation's largest family and ally organization
· Basalt High School’s Peace Garden
