LGBTQIA+ Rights
Mission: The Ali Forney Center houses and protects homeless LGBT youth living on the streets of New York. Our Street Outreach Team educates teens about safe sex and HIV prevention. We have grown to provide medical and mental health services. We also provide volunteer mentors, educational and career programs, life skills training and much more. Our goal is to not only provide food, water, and shelter: Our goal is to transform the lives of these young people so that they may reclaim their lives and never live on the streets again.
Website: http://www.aliforneycenter.org/get-involved/volunteer-opportunities/
Phone: 212-222-3427
Email: n/a
What volunteers do:
administrative assistance during work week
career/education mentor
tutor
conduct mock interviews (4-month commitment)
drop-in center help (multiple tasks, 3-month commitment)
food service/youth counselor (3-month commitment)
2x/month committees on events/fundraising
FYI:
interview and background check required
Borough: Manhattan
Mission: AVP empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and HIV-affected communities and allies to end all forms of violence through organizing and education, and supports survivors through counseling and advocacy. AVP envisions a world in which all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and HIV-affected people are safe, respected, and live free from violence. AVP provides direct services such as immediate crisis intervention, safety planning, short or long-term counseling, police, court and social services advocacy and accompaniment, information and referrals, legal counseling, and support groups. AVP's Speakers Bureau provides education and support for survivors of violence to share their stories to educate the public about how to prevent violence, and what to do if they or someone they love is affected by anti-LGBTQ & HIV-affected violence. They also run leadership development institutes to build community-organizing and campaign skills.
Website: http://www.avp.org/get-involved/volunteer
Phone: 212-714-1184
Email: mmikowicz@avp.org
What volunteers do:
tabling at community safety nights, marches, rallies
street-based outreach and SafeBar/Safe Nights Program
serve on PRIDE committees
staff front-desk to forward calls to hotline
staff hotline (40-hour training on nights and weekends that includes in-depth anti-oppression training, then commit to a year of monthly hotline shifts on nights or weekends)
Mission: The Audre Lorde Project is a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit, Trans and Gender Non Conforming People of Color center for community organizing, focusing on the New York City area. Through mobilization, education and capacity-building, we work for community wellness and progressive social and economic justice. Committed to struggling across differences, we seek to responsibly reflect, represent and serve our various communities. Recognizing the full diversity of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two-Spirit, Trans and Gender Non Conforming (LGBTSTGNC) people of color, and our collective histories of struggle against discrimination and other forms of oppression, the Audre Lorde Project has been established to serve as a home base that LGBTST peoples of African / Black/ Caribbean, Arab, Asian & Pacific Islander, Latina/o, and Native/Indigenous descent can use to organize, support, and advocate for our diverse communities.
Website: http://alp.org/getinvolved/member
Phone: 212-463-0342 or 718-596-0342
Email: n/a
What volunteers do:
committee work of 10 hours/month for 3 months (current committees are immigrant rights/interpreter training; anti-violence; Trans justice; membership)
administrative work
fundraising
outreach
special events
writing/editing
Borough: Manhattan and Brooklyn
Mission: Black & Pink is an open family of LGBTQ prisoners, prisoners living with HIV/AIDS and “free world” allies who support each other. Our work toward the abolition of the prison industrial complex is rooted in the experience of currently and formerly incarcerated people. We are outraged by the specific violence of the prison industrial complex against LGBTQ people and people living with HIV/AIDS, and respond through advocacy, education, direct service, and organizing. Our goal is liberation. We have a radical view of the fight for justice: We are feminist. We are anti-racist. We want queer liberation. And we are against capitalism. Prisons are part of the system that oppresses and divides us. Abolition is our goal, and our strategy for action. Any advocacy, services, organizing, and direct action we take will remove bricks from the system, not put up more walls. We want revolution. And we will work on reforms too, even if they are only small steps at ending the suffering caused by prisons. Our work is based in the experience of people who are or were in prison. We also raise up the voices of formerly incarcerated people as our “free world” members of the Leadership Circle. We know that those most hurt by the violence of the prison industrial complex have the knowledge of how to tear it down.
Website: http://www.blackandpink.org/chapters/new-york-city/
Email: nyc@blackandpink.org
Phone: N/A
What volunteers do:
become a pen-pal for an incarcerated LGBTQ prisoner
help match new penpals and answer questions
help out at regular mail-processing events
support advocacy for criminalized LGBTQ people and people living with HIV/AIDS in New York
educate the public about prison abolition
FYI:
extensive support and information for penpals available on website
Mission: The Brooklyn Community Pride Center provides services and support to the borough’s LGBT+ community through original programming and partnerships with exemplary organizations. Across the spectrum from young people to elders, the Brooklyn Community Pride Center enables our community to actively participate in positive, life-affirming activities. We offer a distinctive choice for residents of New York City’s largest borough to celebrate, heal, learn, create, organize, relax, socialize, and play.
Website: http://lgbtbrooklyn.org/volunteer/
Phone: 347-889-7719
Email: info@lgbtbrooklyn.org
What volunteers do:
fundraising
plan programs
transcribe oral histories
administrative assistance
front desk
database management
Borough: Brooklyn
Mission: GMHC is the world’s first and leading provider of HIV/AIDS prevention, care and advocacy. Building on decades of dedication and expertise, we understand the reality of HIV/AIDS and empower a healthy life for all. GMHC fights to end the AIDS epidemic and uplift the lives of all affected.
Website: http://gmhc.org/get-involved/volunteer-20
Email: SethR@gmhc.org
Phone: 212-367-1011
What volunteers do:
after orientation serve as buddies (1-4 hours/week for one year minimum), providing emotional support to a GMHC client, working as a liaison to services at GMHC or other social service agencies, as needed, assisting client with light errands and socialization through various activities, reporting back to the agency on a regular basis
contribute specialized skills to Wellness Program (massage therapists, haircutters, fitness instructors, yoga teachers, chiropractors, reflexologists and acupuncturists)
based on professional training, teach workshops in art, music, dance, acting and creative writing
front-desk receptionist (greet clients assist with intake, bilingual English/Spanish a plus)
field phone calls, respond to email, word processing, data entry, filing, direct mail, create presentations and spreadsheets
staff hotline to provide information and referral services regarding HIV and AIDS and our programs to the general public who contact the Hotline by phone and by email (in-depth training provided twice a year, 1-year commitment, bilingual English/Spanish a plus)
Support Corps on-call volunteers help with short-term projects (data entry, stuffing envelopes, space beautification, taking inventory, assisting with special events)
help with meal service (350 clients daily, lunch M-Th, dinner Friday)
FYI:
volunteer application on site
volunteers not currently needed at the HIV testing center, but openings may occur in the future
Borough: Manhattan
Mission: The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) National Help Center provides vital peer-support, community connections and resource information to people with questions regarding sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Utilizing a diverse group of GLBT volunteers, we operate three national hotlines, the GLBT National Hotline, the GLBT National Youth Talkline, and the SAGE LGBT Elder Hotline as well as private, volunteer one-to-one online chat, that helps both youth and adults with coming-out issues, safer-sex information, school bullying, family concerns, relationship problems and a lot more. We also maintain the largest collection of resources for the GLBT community in the United States, with 15,000 local resources for cities and towns across the country. The people who turn to us for help often live in rural and conservative parts of the country and are frequently feeling severely isolated, closeted and despairing, with literally no one else else safe to talk to. We provide a safe environment on the phone or internet for people of all ages to discuss issues that they don't feel comfortable talking about anywhere else.
Website: http://www.glbthotline.org/volunteer.html
Phone: 415-355-0003
Email: aaron@glbthotline.org
What volunteers do:
after training, commit to hotline shift 2 to 2.5 hours/week at the same time each week for a minimum of six months
Borough: based in California, but can work from anywhere.
Mission: At GLSEN, we want every student, in every school, to be valued and treated with respect, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. We believe that all students deserve a safe and affirming school environment where they can learn and grow. We accomplish our goals by working in hallways across the country -- from Congress and the Department of Education to schools and district offices in your community -- to improve school climate and champion LGBT issues in K-12 education. We conduct extensive and original research to inform our evidence-based solutions for K-12 education. We author developmentally appropriate resources for educators to use throughout their school community. We partner with decision makers to ensure that comprehensive and inclusive safe schools policies are considered, passed and implemented. We partner with dozens of national education organizations to leverage our shared expertise into creating great schools and better opportunities for every student. We empower students to effect change by supporting student-led efforts to positively impact their own schools and local communities. Every day GLSEN works to ensure that LGBTQ students are able to learn and grow in a school environment free from bullying and harassment. Together, we can transform our nation’s K-12 schools into the safe and affirming environment all youth deserve.
Website: http://www.glsen.org/chapters/nyc/getinvolved
Email: newyorkcity@chapters.glsen.org
Signup form: http://newyorkcity.glsen.org/page/s/glsen-new-york-city-volunteer-application
Phone: n/a
What volunteers do:
support days of action like No Name Calling Week, Day of Silence, and Ally Week
table at events, conferences, or LGBT Pride events
support teachers through full-day or half-day professional development opportunities
fundraise (online solicitations, mailings, work events, write grant proposals)
community outreach (social media, press releases, tabling events, networking, public speaking)
graphic design
event planning
communications
school engagement
manage volunteers
Borough: all
Mission: GRIOT Circle is a community-based, multigenerational organization serving LGBTQ elders of color. Our mission is to respond to and eliminate all forms of oppression, including: ageism, racism, sexism, misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, poverty, xenophobia, and their intersections. We achieve this by providing health, wellness, advocacy, and leadership activities to remove isolation and fear, build community, as well as honor racial and ethnic traditions. Most of our members reside in New York’s metropolitan area, though GRIOT has members throughout the country. Nearly all our members are from modest-to-low income households; more than 50% are retired; and about 90% identify as black, African American or Caribbean American. We provide emotional support and quality programming that affirm the lives of this often invisible and marginalized population. GRIOT is committed to honoring and preserving our histories and traditions while reuniting those parts of our selves that have been fragmented by racism and homophobia. We maintain a space, free of discrimination based on age, gender, race, sexuality, spirituality, and ethnic origin. Everyone is welcome.
Website: https://griotcircle.org/support-us#volunteer
Email: Reunion@griotcircle.org
Phone: 718-246-2775
What volunteers do:
Serve on Buddy-2-Buddy coordinating committee
Public Speaking/Outreach/Tabling
Plan events and activities
Fundraising
Monthly calendar mailings
Internal support (field phone calls, welcome guests, assist with programs)
Borough: Brooklyn
Mission: Since its founding, Hetrick-Martin Institute has grown from a small, volunteer-led grass-roots advocacy organization into a leading professional provider of social support and programming for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning (LGBTQ) youth. HMI youth members, ranging in age from 13 to 24, come from over 300 zip codes throughout all of New York City and the surrounding metropolitan area. They are of all colors and sizes, come from all kinds of backgrounds, and their enthusiasm and creativity is boundless.
Website: http://hmi.org/getinvolved/volunteer/
Email: Seton Davey sdavey@hmi.org
Phone: 212-674-2600 x252
What volunteers do:
assist HMI staff in serving dinner to our youth community (4:45 p.m. – 6 p.m)
monitor and assist in youth-services resource center (computer, resume, homework help) 1 day/week, M-F, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. or 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
tutor in math, ASL, SAT prep 1-2 days/week commitment, M-F; 4 p.m. or 5:50 p.m.– 7:15 p.m.
graphic design
finance
fundraise
IT
staff development
photography
videography
plan events
join one-time special-event list
Mission: Since 1994, Immigration Equality has been proud to advocate for and represent lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ), and HIV-positive immigrants seeking safety, fair treatment, and freedom. As the only LGBTQ organization with a staff of immigration attorneys, Immigration Equality impacts both the individuals we serve and the immigration system as a whole. For more than 20 years, we have been focused on providing free direct legal services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,queer, and HIV-positive immigrants, including: asylum seekers forced to flee to the U.S. to find safety; LGBTQ immigrant and binational couples and families separated by oceans; detainees trapped in immigration jail facilities; and undocumented LGBTQ people living in the shadows inside the U.S. Unlike in the U.S. criminal justice system, representation is not provided to individuals in immigration court. At Immigration Equality, we fundamentally believe in access to counsel.
Website: http://www.immigrationequality.org/volunteer
Signup form: http://imeq.force.com/volunteers/GW_Volunteers__VolunteersSignupFS
Phone: n/a
Email: info@immigrationequality.org
What volunteers do:
pro bono lawyers
translate documents for asylum applications, interpret in client interviews, interpret in court
make calls
photography
mailings
computer support
event support
bartend/waitstaff at events
graphic design
videography (shooting/editing)
Mission: Founded in 1973, Lambda Legal is the oldest and largest national legal organization whose mission is to achieve full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.
Website: http://www.lambdalegal.org/get-involved/volunteer
Phone: 212-809-8585
Email: volunteer@lambdalegal.org
What volunteers do:
lawyers staff legal help desk, write amicus briefs, do legal research, serve as co-counsel
education
fundraising
community events
Borough: Manhattan office
Mission: New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center empowers people to lead healthy, successful lives. The Center celebrates our diversity and advocates for justice and opportunity. The Center is the heart and home of NYC's LGBT community, providing programs for health, wellness and community connection.
Website: https://gaycenter.org/support/volunteer#tab
Phone: 212-620-7310
Email: volunteer@gaycenter.org
What volunteers do:
assist in planning statewide advocacy campaigns
conduct digital and in-person community outreach
advocate to lawmakers for LGBTQ-affirming laws and policies
promote civic engagement (voter registration, census participation, election day turnout, contacting local representatives, etc.)
event support
Borough: Manhattan
Mission: Our mission is to increase the self-sufficiency of homeless LGBT youth, enabling them to go beyond the shelter system and transition into stable adult lives. We do this by providing case management, education services, life skills groups, community-building recreational activities, opportunities for self-expression, and support services for HIV+ youth. Our guiding principles are harm reduction, youth development, and empowerment. This is the place for young people to bring their problems. None are too big or small. Arrest warrants, finding a long-lost relative, applying for disability benefits, returning to high school or college, back taxes... We help with all of it!
Website: https://www.newalternativesnyc.org/get-involved
Email: info@newalternativesnyc.org
Phone: 718-300-0133
What volunteers do:
prepare meals
run life-skills training groups (HIV prevention, anger management, nutrition, dealing with conflict in the workplace)
tutor for GED, SAT
assist with college applications and financial aid paperwork
assist with youth registration
assist case managers at drop-in clinic (Fridays, 1 pm-6pm)
host fundraising events
FYI:
greatest volunteer need is on Sunday evenings from 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Borough: Manhattan
Mission: Our mission is to defend and promote the fundamental principles and values embodied in the Bill of Rights, the U.S. Constitution, and the New York Constitution, including freedom of speech and religion, and the right to privacy, equality and due process of law for all New Yorkers. We believe that all New Yorkers have inalienable rights that cannot be taken away by the government or by majority vote. They are: 1) Freedom of speech, press, petition and assembly. Even unpopular expression is protected from government suppression and censorship. 2) Freedom of religion. Each of us has the right to exercise his or her own religion, or no religion, free from any government influence or compulsion. 3) Privacy. We have the right to be free from unwarranted and unwanted government intrusion into our personal and private affairs, papers and possessions. 4) Due process of law. We have right to be treated fairly by the government whenever the loss of liberty or property is at stake. 5) Equality before the law. We have the right to be treated equally regardless of nationality, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, disability or socio-economic status. The NYCLU fights for civil liberties and civil rights through a multi-layered program of litigation, advocacy, public education and community organizing. Our clients are men and women, rich and poor, gay and straight, black, white and brown, young and old, religious and atheist, able-bodied and living with a disability, citizens and immigrants. When we vindicate their rights, all New Yorkers benefit.
Website: http://nyclu.org/content/our-advocacy-program
Volunteer sign-up form: https://action.aclu.org/secure/volunteer-nyclu
Phone: 212-607-3300
Email: n/a
What volunteers do:
online activism
grassroots lobbying
community organizing
lobby with NYCLU in Albany (next day of action March 13, 2017)
monitor protests
writing/journalism
research
help fundraise
graphic design
multimedia support
translate (Arabic , Chinese , French, Hindi, Korean, Kreyol, Polish, Spanish, Russian, Urdu)
photography/videography
education
Mission: Lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people are among the most persecuted individuals in the world today. Seventy-eight nations criminalize same-sex relations. Seven of these apply the death penalty for consensual same-sex conduct. In many more countries, sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) regularly face harassment, arrest, interrogation, torture and beatings. These human rights violations propel thousands to flee their countries. Yet without focused attention and assistance from the international humanitarian community, these refugees continue to be deprived of basic safety or protection. The lucky few who manage to escape often find that conditions in their countries of transit are not much better than those they fled. SGM refugees, as forced migrants and sexual minorities, are “doubly marginalized.” Moreover, the scant survival mechanisms normally available to other refugees are often closed off to them. While most refugees seek safety and comfort with their own countrypersons, SGM refugees are often targeted by their compatriots or families. Very few manage to survive these obstacles and reach safety. ORAM works resolutely to break down systemic barriers to their safety and shelter. ORAM lays the groundwork for global changes by researching and documenting the extreme abuses these refugees face, and then translates its highly regarded expertise into essential advocacy and education.
Website: http://oramrefugee.org/get-involved/volunteer/
Email: volunteer@oraminternational.org
Phone: 415-230-0601 (but they ask that you email with volunteer inquiries)
What volunteers do:
native or fluent speakers of French, Arabic, German and Spanish assist with translating materials pertinent to research and advocacy efforts on behalf of LGBTI refugees
graphic and visual designers help create and finalize vibrant publications and materials to raise visibility
help develop outreach and fundraising strategies targeting individual donors, and raise awareness through events
help maintain a lively flow of Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn updates; respond to posts and new visitors; and investigate and respond to relevant activities elsewhere
FYI:
send resume and a statement explaining your location, availability, language abilities, and interest
full -time and part-time volunteer positions available
ORAM is an international organization; volunteers usually work remotely
Mission: The Pride Center of Staten Island, Staten Island’s LGBT Community Center, supports the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender citizens of Staten Island. The Pride Center is a safe and welcoming space with quality local services and activities that promote the overall physical, mental and emotional well-being for Staten Island’s LGBT people.
Website: http://www.pridecentersi.org/volun/
Email: http://www.pridecentersi.org/contact-us/
Phone: Deborah Green 718-808-1381
What volunteers do:
develop and/or lead youth programing (queer career series, dance classes, vocal classes, technology classes, gay history, resume building)
create SAGE programming for seniors (SAGE cinema presenters, technology classes, health workshops, exercise and wellness classes, discussion group facilitators)
help at PrideFest (assist with 5K Run, site setup and breakdown, vendor services, photography, general support)
resource development and fundraising
graphic design/creative technology
clerical support
information & referral (front desk)
community outreach
curator's assistant and guest curators
boardmembers
program assistants
Borough: Staten Island
Mission: S.A.F.E. seeks to empower immigrants and vulnerable populations who have been marginalized due to their sexual orientation, gender identity, and other factors to reach their fullest potential by providing humanitarian assistance, while fostering understanding and cooperation among diverse communities. SAFE identifies and then collaborates with recent immigrants who would like to further their personals goals (e.g., achieving legal immigration status, finding a job, accessing healthcare, etc.) while giving back to the community. SAFE views each individual holistically and as an agent in their own empowerment rather than as a “case.” SAFE has teamed up with RUSA LGBT to offer monthly legal clinics that provide monthly one-on-one consultations on immigration and other issues.
Website: https://www.safeasylum.org/volunteer/
Email: info@safeasylum.com
Phone: N/A
What volunteers do:
lawyers assist at monthly walk-in clinic, answer questions regarding immigration status and options, including court and application preparation
Mission: SERVICES & ADVOCACY FOR GLBT ELDERS (SAGE) is the country's largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) older adults. Our mission is to lead in addressing issues related to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) aging. SAGE offers innovative services and programs to LGBT older people throughout New York City and nationwide through our affiliate network, SAGENet. From arts and culture, to health and wellness, employment assistance, and much more, SAGE's innovative services and programs support thousands of LGBT older people in communities around the country.
Website: http://www.sageusa.org/nyc/volunteer/index.cfm
Phone: 212-741-2247
Email: info@sageusa.org
What volunteers do:
friendly visiting
staff events
clerical support
participate in a SAGE Committee
FYI:
monthly volunteer orientation meetings, followed by additional training if necessary
Borough: Manhattan office.
Mission: The Sylvia Rivera Law Project (SRLP) works to guarantee that all people are free to self-determine their gender identity and expression, regardless of income or race, and without facing harassment, discrimination, or violence. SRLP is a collective organization founded on the understanding that gender self-determination is inextricably intertwined with racial, social and economic justice. Therefore, we seek to increase the political voice and visibility of low-income people and people of color who are transgender, intersex, or gender non-conforming. SRLP works to improve access to respectful and affirming social, health, and legal services for our communities. We believe that in order to create meaningful political participation and leadership, we must have access to basic means of survival and safety from violence.
Website: http://srlp.org/get-involved/volunteer/
Phone: 212-337-8550
Email: juana@slrp.org
What volunteers do:
distribute materials
office work (data entry, photocopying, faxing, filing)
community organizing
facilitate meetings/retreats
financial management
institution building
legal/litigation
media/press
public speaking
translate
research
writing (pen pal programs, grant writing)
graphic design
film and media
outreach
editing
Borough: Manhattan
Mission: Trans Lifeline works to end transgender suicide and improve overall mental health of transgender people through education, advocacy, and direct service. We empower trans people to help one another, and to shape our collective efforts by drawing upon our wealth of individual experiences.
Website: https://www.translifeline.org/help
Volunteer signup form: http://tinyurl.com/zfaneya
Email: volunteer@translifeline.org
Phone: 415-483-5361
What volunteers do:
after online training, staff hotline (must be trans/non-binary)
fundraising
grant writing
tech support
organizational/admin support
taxes
train and support hotline operators
Borough: based in California, but can be done anywhere.
Mission: The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24.
Website: http://www.thetrevorproject.org/pages/volunteer
Phone: n/a
Email: siobhan.mangal@thetrevorproject.org
What volunteers do:
staff phone crisis hotline or instant-messaging crisis hotline (four-session training required)
serve on committees for pride events, fundraising, and education
admin help