On the eve of the beginning of the Ruth Ellis Center's second decade, the Jewish Fund has offered the center a challenge grant moving into the new year. The fund will award REC $10,000 if they are able to raise an additional $5,000.
The Jewish Fund was born in 19997 out of the sale proceeds of Sinai Hospital to the Detroit Medical Center. The fund awards grants to help provide health serives to those in need in southeast Michigan.
The Ruth Ellis Center, based in Highland Park, offers support, drop-in services, HIV testing and both long- and short-term shelter for runaway, at-risk and homeless youth. Opened in 1999, the center was named after Detroit-native Ruth Ellis, an out, black lesbian known for opening her home to gay youth.
"The Jewish Fund is very pleased to support Ruth Ellis Center in its unique provision of compassionate and sensitive support groups for a vulnerable population of LGBTQ young people in metropolitan Detroit, and hopes other funders and individuals will recognize the need for such support, as well," noted Executive Director Margo Pernick.
The funds will specifically fund the Drop-in Center's gender identity support groups, which meet weekly. Each group helps young people address issues faced in everyday life and help them to discover paths to independence, self-care and wellness.
"In these tough times, we greatly appreciate the generosity of the Jewish Fund," said Bill Greene, chair of the board of directors for the center. "We also welcome the challenge grant as an opportunity to encourage new donors to support vital programming. The youth we serve are often disowned or abandoned by their families. The fact that other community members, whom they may never know, provide the funds for the Center, gives young people hope and encouragement."
Ruth Ellis Center receives challenge grant from The Jewish Fund
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