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A new LGBTQ+ community center in Whittier will celebrate its grand opening on Saturday, Sept. 21, officials announced.
In October, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved County Councilwoman Janice Hahn’s request to accept millions in funding for the project.
The center is funded by a $4.2 million state grant sponsored by Rep. Lisa Calderon (D-Whittier).
“This new center is a testament to what we can accomplish when we work together,” Hahn said Saturday in an email newsletter containing the announcement.
The grand opening ceremony will be held on Saturday, September 21st from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at 7639 Painter Ave., Whittier.
The LGBTQ+ Community Resource Center will be housed in a building in Los Angeles County that has been out of service since the coronavirus pandemic. The one-story building is 2,600 square feet.
“For too long, there has been no dedicated space in the greater Whittier area where the LGBTQ+ community could meet and easily access free resources,” Hahn said in her newsletter.
According to Hahn, who represents the 4th District, which includes Whittier, the center will fill a critical gap in the care and support of LGBTQ+ people in Los Angeles County.
To access the services the center offers, Whittier residents would have to travel to surrounding cities such as Long Beach and Los Angeles.
The center’s resources include support groups, substance use disorder treatment, mental health treatment, legal assistance, age-appropriate youth programs, educational workshops, and information and outreach services. Cultural programs, social events, community involvement, and volunteer opportunities are also offered.
Officials said the center will provide a space for LGBTQ+ members to feel safe amid the dramatic increase in anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and legislation in recent years.
The idea of an LGBTQ+ center in the Whittier community is not new. The City Council voted in July 2020 to figure out how much it would cost to make the old police department building available for offices for nonprofit groups, including an LGBTQ center.
Although the center will provide mental and behavioral health services, the center itself will not be a medical facility.
The Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse (LA CADA) will operate the center on behalf of the county.
LA CADA is a nonprofit organization that provides healthcare to underserved populations, including people who identify as LGBTQ+.
The $4.2 million grant helped pay for renovations needed to modernize the building. Inside, new electrical, plumbing and furniture were needed. The exterior needed to be freshened up with paint and new signs, Hahn’s office said.
Jenna Mindel is a finalist for the 2024 California Press Foundation Internship Grant and reports for the Southern California News Group. She will graduate from Biola University in 2024 with a major in journalism. She also loves Dr. Pepper.
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