SGS & Co’s Post

A week from today is #givingtuesday2023. Many charities you care about will be asking for money, as will many news organizations. At LMA/LMF, we believe journalism funded by philanthropy isn't a revenue crutch, it's part of the revenue mix for *all* types of media orgs. If you value local news, consider donating to your local news organization. If you value organizations like ours that provide training and support for Black-owned, LGBTQ -owned, Family-owned, and broadcast groups, consider donating to us. Our foundation work supports hundreds of publishers, and we need your support: https://lnkd.in/gKWqb6Wh

Engaging LGBT people in your fundraising. Could you be doing more? Our very own Amy Nield has written an article for The Showcase of Fundraising Innovation & Inspiration (SOFII) about exactly that. They explore the findings of our exclusive report on what charities can do to better inspire this generous – and growing – supporter base. Check out the article, and read our new report, through the link in the comments ⬇️ #charity #fundraising

✨ Support Sparkle: A Call to Action for True Allyship ✨ Hello LinkedIn, I’m reaching out with an important message about Sparkle, a trans charity based in Manchester that has been a pillar of support for the trans community for years. Unfortunately, they’ve recently faced a significant funding shortfall, jeopardising their essential work and the future of their upcoming event. Sparkle’s annual event is more than just a celebration; it’s a vital space for the trans community to come together, share experiences, and build a more inclusive society. The charity’s impact extends beyond the event, offering ongoing support, resources, and a sense of belonging to countless individuals. Now, more than ever, Sparkle needs our help. This is an opportunity for us to demonstrate true allyship—beyond performative gestures, we can make a real difference. Here’s how you can contribute: 1️⃣ Donate: Any amount can help bridge the funding gap. Your contributions will directly support Sparkle’s efforts and ensure their vital work continues. https://lnkd.in/e9BWe9rx 2️⃣ Amplify: Use your voice to spread the word. Share this message with your network and encourage others to support this crucial cause. 3️⃣ Engage: Offer your time, skills, or resources. Whether it’s through volunteering or providing in-kind support, your involvement can make a substantial impact. Supporting Sparkle means more than just backing a charity; it’s about standing in solidarity with the trans community and committing to real, impactful change. Let’s step up as allies and ensure that Sparkle continues to shine brightly, fostering inclusivity and acceptance for years to come. Please consider donating, sharing this message, and finding ways to get involved. Together, we can make a meaningful difference. #SupportSparkle #TrueAllyship #TransRightsAreHumanRights #Inclusivity #CommunitySupport #LGBTQIA #Charity #DonateNow #MakeADifference

💡 It's National Inclusion Week: the theme this year is take action and make impact. Everyone is included in your organisation, especially leaders. 💡 I am delivering several webinars this week, providing training on inclusion and allyship. This enables me to take action, when I founded Changing Hearts & Minds Consulting Ltd I decided that a proportion of my profits would be given to LGBTQIA charities, especially the ones supporting groups of my community facing particular social injustice or charities representing those most vulnerable.   Thanks to the organisations that I have worked with, I have been able to donate to several charities including:   Mermaids: who help give gender-diverse kids and young people a voice, helping them and their families. mermaidsuk.org.uk   Global Butterflies: who help businesses to become more trans and non-binary inclusive. globalbutterflies.com   @black trans foundation therapy fund to stop black trans people be pushed further beyond the boundaries of marginalisation. https://lnkd.in/eyB6TxSP   You can act by visiting each of the above websites and learning more about them and the amazing work that they do. Another action for me this week is completing the application to make my business a social enterprise. What actions do you have? #nationalInclusionWeek #inclusion #belonging #diversity #allyship

Bookshop.org and Not Your Average American are proud to partner with Safe and Sound’s publisher, DK, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, on donating copies to Transgender Law Center (TLC). More about TLC: Founded in 2002, Transgender Law Center is a non-profit organization assisting, informing and empowering thousands of individual community members towards a long-term, national, trans-led movement for liberation. More about Safe and Sound: Don't panic--Mercury Stardust, AKA The Trans Handy Ma'am is here to help! For too many people, the simple act of contacting a plumber or repair person can feel like a game of chance. As a transwoman and a professional maintenance technician, Mercury Stardust has discovered (the hard way) that we live in a world with much to fear. If you've ever felt panicked about opening your home to strangers in order to fix a maintenance issue, this book is for you. In conclusion, when you purchase a copy of Safe and Sound: A Renter-Friendly Guide to Home Repair through this page, you will be supporting TLC with the donated books, as well as supporting our Bookshop.org storefront. Our company receives a small commission. https://lnkd.in/gnAJgCMx

With an amazing first year and a 2024 on track to break all of our records, we truly can't thank you all enough for the support you've given us. We don't want to slow down! In fact, we'd like to speed it up even more. For Care Collective to keep growing, we could use your help. - Help us move! Our time in the Kalamazoo Valley Habitat for Humanity warehouse has been amazing, but we outgrew the space quicker than we expected. If you have any ideas of where Care Collective could call home next, send us a message! - Consider a donation! To distribute more products, we need to buy more products, and we can do that with your support. A one-time donation helps us fund the large bulk orders we place to keep our warehouse stocked. If you can contribute monthly, we can plan ahead and make your dollar go even further. _ Spread the word! Sharing about Care Collective is one of the easiest ways you can support our mission of ending diaper need and period poverty. If you're passionate about our work, one of the best ways you can support us is by spreading that passion. Although there's a lot of work left to do, and we're going to need a lot of help to do it, we can never thank you all enough for the extreme amount of support and love you've given us since the very beginning. We want to keep growing, and we want your help to do it. #kalamazoo #michigan #donate #volunteer #enddiaperneed #endperiodpoverty #nonprofit #lgbtqia #bipoc Photo shows a pile of diapers with the words "want Care Collective to keep growing?" overlaid on top.

An experienced facilitator's thoughts for #transawarenessweek : "You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, and then you read." -James Baldwin For every transgender day of remembrance, I try to remember the giants whose shoulders I stand upon. All the trailblazers who sought to be themselves, and those who were discriminated, shunned, and had violence enacted upon them. It is an active memory, as we still have people today, becoming political refugees for who they are and being murdered simply for being; especially trans women of color. The world is filled with such bigotry, but as fellow trans people, we remain defiant to that hatred. The world is in a rough spot right now, but the good things still shine out. Those giants who carved the path before me have made my life so much easier in comparison, and there is still much further work to be done. I can only hope that what little I contribute will make it easier for future generations to be themselves. Having been the lead trans-feminine support groups facilitator for almost too years now, I'm lucky in that I get to see so many people blossom into their true selves, it's an awe-inspiring feeling that keeps me going. Especially when I feel like the position here at the TGRC is just too much, and I want to drop it all and walk away. Remembering the past and seeing potential futures keeps me grounded here. When hosting these support groups, I often have trans people come in and have nothing to say. I ask them if anything is wrong, and they say some form “no, I’m doing good, and so I have nothing to contribute to the support group.” I have to remind them that we *want* to hear the good things and see the successes as well. Bad stuff happens (and it will happen for trans people), but hearing the good things helps us stay positive and have gratitude. I find that trans people are much like the Phoenix. Oppression cannot stop us from existing, we will always be here by any means. Being queer is an act of love. Both for oneself, and an honor to those who came before us. Leaving a link to the TGRCNM's donation page for anyone feeling monetarily generous.