TITLE
Recommendation to support the 35th Annual Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride Festival and Parade by examining ways to reduce city and staffing fees pertaining to the event, and report back to City Council within 30 days.
DISCUSSION
?? ?The 501c3 nonprofit, Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride, Inc. (LBLGP, Inc.), was established in October 1983 and produced the first annual Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride Festival & Parade in June of 1984. The organization is governed by an unpaid, professional volunteer Board of Directors. The Board of Directors felt that with such a large gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender population, there was a great need to increase awareness, promote pride, and a greater sense of self-worth within the community. Additionally, the Board felt it was important to facilitate greater cooperation, mutual respect and understanding between the LGBT community and those individuals residing in Long Beach.
Through the years, LBLGP, Inc. has overcome many milestones, starting with the funding to meet the City of Long Beach required fees to produce its first event. Yet, after producing only two events, LBLGP, Inc. started the tradition of giving back to the community by making outright grants to other non-profit organizations. Shortly after that, LBLGP, Inc. began donating funds to its volunteers' favorite charities. The amount of this contribution has been based on the number of hours' volunteers work at the parade and festival.
For more than three decades, LBLGP, Inc. has grown to become one of Long Beach's largest philanthropic organizations by granting over one million dollars back to the community since its inception. While the main project of Long Beach Lesbian & Gay
?Pride, Inc. is the annual parade and festival, the organization operates year-round and sponsors other philanthropic projects.
Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride has become one of a kind in the nation, attracting people world-wide. Its attendees contribute an estimated $12.3 milli...
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