Houston LGBT Center Raising Money to Help Those Affected by Harvey

Tropical Storm Harvey is still churning over Texas, and a Houston LGBTQ Center is not waiting to take action. The Montrose Center is launching a $100,000 relief fund to protect displaced LGBTQ community members in the wake of the storm.

The Montrose Center, which has operated in Texas's largest city for nearly four decades, has 35,000 clients in core programs and is "already learning of staff and community members who have lost everything" in the natural disaster, according to its fundraising campaign page.

The fund aims to rebuild the lives of those impacted by the storm with food, furniture, and housing, as well as providing counseling and case management. Acknowledging how the oppressed become even more vulnerable in the wake of a natural disaster, center officials say they will be on call to help homeless youth, senior citizens, individuals who are HIV-positive, and survivors of hate crimes.

As of now, the campaign has raised $1,283. One donor, Judith Venturini, called the effort "wonderful," and said it "puts our community on the face of social justice in Texas in a time of great awakening."

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