My team
Why I'm running the Falmouth Road Race to support LGBTQ+ youth
When hope feels hard to find, running eases my mind. This year it feels more important than ever to put my miles to work for OUT MetroWest. OUT MetroWest builds communities where LGBTQ+ youth thrive. For over 14 years they've worked to counter the hate and division with community, understanding, safety and belonging. They provide a space for connection and support that I wish all LGBTQ+ kids across the country could access.
Why do we need hope?
- Following the 2024 elections, the Trevor Project reported a staggering 700% increase in crisis contacts and a 33% spike on Inauguration Day 2025.
- According to the 2024 National Survey on LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health, 39% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including 46% of transgender and nonbinary youth.
And even in Massachusetts…
- 50% of LGBTQ+ youth in Massachusetts who wanted mental health care in the past year were not able to get it.
- LGBTQ+ students in Massachusetts report feeling less safe with family/caregivers and less like they belong at school compared to their straight, cisgender peers.
We all deserve safety, respect, acceptance and love. OUT MetroWest works tirelessly to make that a reality for LGBTQ+ youth, and I’m honored to support them in that mission. Please join me with a donation large or small so they can continue this important work!
Description
Please help me build communities where LGBTQ+ youth thrive.
For 14 years, OUT MetroWest has risen to meet the emerging needs of LGBTQ+ youth, launching new programs based on community demand. In 2015, our Nexus program was the first of its kind in MA for queer and trans middle-schoolers, filling a critical void. Since 2011, we have grown from a single weekly meeting for high schoolers to now offering multiple weekly programs for middle and high schoolers, monthly programs for elementary youth and young adults, community-wide events, and educating hundreds of individuals to build inclusive cultures in their own organizations.
Because LGBTQ+ youth deserve a community where they are welcomed and accepted, for exactly who they are.
Your support helps keep all of OUT MetroWest's life-affirming programs, resources, and events FREE!
- 20+ free programs each month
- more than 1,000 youth served over the past decade
- 350+ youth and families who attend programs and events each year
- over 30 cities and towns reached across Massachusetts
- At least one trained therapist at all weekly programs, supporting mental health needs of LGBTQ+ youth
- Thousands of individuals trained in LGBTQ+-inclusivity -- making their own schools, organizations, and businesses stronger, more welcoming communities.
Our youth programs include:
- Nexus: weekly program for LGBTQ+ middle schoolers, in grades 6-8
- Prism: weekly program for LGBTQ+ high schoolers, in grades 9-12
- Umbrella: weekly program for transgender and non-binary youth, in grades 6-12
- Drop-In: unstructured time for youth to connect in our youth-centered space, for LGBTQ+ youth in grades 6-12
- Shine & Glow: monthly gatherings for gender-expansive and LGBTQ+ children, ages pre-K through grade 5, and their families
- Nova: monthly social gatherings for LGBTQ+ young adults, ages 19 - 29
Learn more at www.outmetrowest.org
Thank you for helping me reach my goal!
Together we can give LGBTQ+ youth the support they need!
Recent donors
| Donation date | Donor name | Donation amount |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 17 | Moore Family NYC | $273.35 |
| Aug 17 | DH | Undisclosed amount |
| Aug 17 | The Dyments | Undisclosed amount |
| Jul 16 | Sarah Herskee Wattenberg | $55.35 |
| Jul 09 | The Friedman Family | $55.35 |
| Jul 09 | Scott, Molly & Charlie Hutchinson | $137.10 |
| Jul 05 | Maureen and Luke O’Neill | $28.10 |
| Jul 02 | The Simon Family | $109.85 |
| Jun 30 | Dana B | Undisclosed amount |
| Jun 30 | Skobo-Troughts | $28.10 |
