New center will give LGBT youth group more than 5,000 square feet to house study center, expanded computer lab, kitchen and more
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| YOUTH ON THE MOVE | Officials with Youth First Texas announced this week that the organization for LGBTQ youth and their allies will move to larger space on Harry Hines this year. (TERRY THOMPSON/Dallas Voice) |
Youth First Texas this week announced definitive plans to relocate to a new and larger youth center in at 3918 Harry Hines Blvd. during the fourth quarter of this year. The new facilities will include more than 5,000 square feet, allowing YFT the additional space to offer an array of new programs and services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youths and their allies in North Texas, YFT officials said.
Officials said the organization received more than $60,000 in private donations and loans to move into the new location.
“The new center represents a major milestone for Youth First Texas as we mark our 10-year anniversary later this year,” said Johnny Cooper, director of Development and Administration for Youth First Texas.
“Not only will be able to provide a host of much-needed, new programs and services but we will also have room to grow for our next 10 years,” Cooper said.
Youth First Texas has been in its current facilities for the last seven years.
But that building was sold earlier this year, prompting the organization to find a new home.
The new youth center will include a study center for the GED Program, an expanded computer lab, a full kitchen and restrooms, and several small meeting rooms for free counseling and HIV/STD testing.
Office space will also now be available for the Youth Board, YFT’s youth-run leadership board responsible for the development of programs and representation of the youth at YFT.
Contributions to the New Space Fund can be made by visiting YouthFirstTexas.org/giving. Rooms in the new Youth Center are available for sponsorship or dedication by individuals, organizations or corporations.
For more information contact giving@youthfirsttexas.org.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition October 9, 2009.
Can’t wait to see it, woohoo! 🙂
YFT owes a huge debt of gratitude to the community for helping us make this dream a reality for our youth. Together we are demonstrating to our youth their worth and value by providing a safe and beautiful center for YFT to call home. Thank you to all our supporters!
Cathy Gonzalez
Co-Chair, Board of Directors, Youth First Texas
Well gee, I am not surprised by the zeal expressed in the above two comments, especially since they came from both board members of the YFT organization………
And even so, isn’t the “gratitude” expressed above really geared towards corporate sponsorship and political dollars so that you all on that board can continue to make political activists out of those kids instead of teaching them how to pursue their own dreams and providing them the skills to do so ??
Reality Check: There are many in the Dallas GLBT community in addition to GLBT youth who don’t have safe and comfortable places to go or who don’t have resources to help them. Its disheartening to continue to hear you board directors constantly making sales pitches implying that GLBT youth are the ONLY group in the community which needs help……… how discriminatory
Yes, let’s clarify shall we ??
The mission of YFT is and I quote:
“Our mission is to provide group interaction and individual support for GLBTQ Youth by providing age appropriate activities, programs, and resources that facilitate empowerment and self-acceptance.”
https://youthfirsttexas.org/about/what-is-youth-first-texas/
The above mission statement says nothing about “encouraging” political activism.
To further clarify, YFT is a GLBT Youth Center NOT a Political Action Committee. What is hurtful to see is that the main mission of the center appears to be getting lost in the midst of increasing political agendas.
I am not a YFT board member, so I cannot speak for them, but I am a concerned volunteer. To clarify, at Youth First Texas, we do not refer to the youth as kids. Secondly, of course, we encourage the youth to be politically active, which is hardly a bad thing. At the same time, to say that we promote the pursuit of political activism at the expense of individual dreams is misleading at best, and wholly unfair, not to mention hurtful, at worst. Thank you.
@ Contrast
You are just one of the many nameless cyber-bullies that bitch & blog. SO sad. Was it hard to swallow that big bitter pill?
@ Contrast
You are just one of the many nameless cyber-bullies that bitch & blog. SO sad. Was it hard to swallow that big bitter pill?