Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation supports Connecting Pride at the Victorian Pride Centre

VPC-LMCF-Stuart-Kollmorgen-Karyn-Bosomworth-photo-by-Serge-ThomannThe Victorian Pride Centre has announced it is to be supported by the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation with a grant for vital infrastructure to be installed at Australia’s first purpose built LGBTIQ+ Centre.

The Foundation’s Proactive Grants for Healthy and Resilient Communities seek to recognise the importance of strengthening community resilience to major social and health challenges.

The grant of $50,000 toward Connecting Pride at the Pride Centre will provide digital and audio-visual infrastructure at the Victorian Pride Centre (VPC) to strengthen, resource and catalyse the LGTBIQ+ community by creating an exciting, multifunction hub which offers the benefits of digital connectivity.

“We are honoured to be supported by one of Australia’s leading philanthropic organisations,” said Stuart Kollmorgen, Deputy Chair of the Victorian Pride Centre. “By supporting the Victorian Pride Centre, Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation has extended its support to all of Melbourne and its community.”

“We look forward to working with the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation to create positive social change for all of the LGBTIQ+ community.”

For over 97 years, Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation has made a real and lasting impact on the big challenges facing Melbourne. As these change over time, the Foundation monitors and researches current and emerging issues to prioritise and anticipate the needs of Melbourne.

“We know that social connectivity, particularly with those with whom we feel a sense of community, is a significant influence on people’s health and resilience,” said Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Dr Catherine Brown OAM.

“Supporting the Pride Centre in having state-of-the-art digital infrastructure will help ensure the centre can really optimise their engagement and accessibility to support LGBTIQ activities on into the future.”

“The Victorian Pride Centre will offer the Australian LGBTIQ community, for the first time, a safe haven for LGBTIQ people with their families, friends and allies to socialise, volunteer, work, network, organise, advocate, innovate, participate in and produce cultural events, and access vital services. It is something for us to celebrate as it supports the wonderfully diverse communities that make up our society.”

The overall digital and infrastructure budget at the Pride Centre is budgeted at $181,888. Connecting Pride will optimise engagement and provide accessible technological services that will sustain the LGBTIQ+ community into the future.

The Victorian Pride Centre will be a centre which is loved by the LGBTIQ+ community and be a beacon of hope for future generations. Construction of the Pride Centre is nearing the last months of completion and fit out has commenced.

Housing major LGBTIQ+ organisations the Pride Centre’s facilities will be a platform for social, cultural and organising activities for the LGBTIQ+ community. For more information, visit: www.pridecentre.org.au for details.

Image: Stuart Kollmorgen, Deputy Chair of the Victorian Pride Centre, and Karyn Bosomworth, Program Manager Healthy & Resilient Communities at the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation – photo by Serge Thomann

Source: www.pridecentre.org.au