CONTRIBUTE

"How You Can Make the Biggest Impact at the Community Center"

At the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center, we deeply appreciate the passion and willingness of individuals and groups who want to support our work. Every act of generosity is meaningful, but not all forms of help contribute in the same way. Here's why providing financial energy is often the most effective way to help us make a difference.

1. The Hidden Costs of Volunteerism
   Volunteers bring wonderful intentions, but supporting their efforts requires significant organizational energy:

   • We must run background checks to ensure the safety of those we serve.

   • Staff time is needed to provide orientations, training, and supervision.

   • Group volunteer projects often require us to create tasks that may not align with our immediate needs, pulling focus from mission-critical work.

   While volunteerism can be impactful for specific initiatives, the time and resources it takes to prepare and support volunteers could often be spent delivering direct services to our community.

2. Donated Goods Require Processing
   When individuals donate clothes, food, or other items, they are meeting immediate needs—but it also requires energy from our team to sort, store, and distribute these items. While we’re grateful for these contributions, the process can stretch our limited staff and resources.

3. The Power of Financial Energy
   Financial contributions are the most flexible and impactful way to help us. Every dollar goes directly toward advancing our mission:

   • It allows us to fund critical programs and services without draining staff energy.

   • It helps us cover unexpected expenses or invest in areas of greatest need.

   • It sustains our work long-term, allowing us to serve more people in deeper and more meaningful ways.

By contributing financial energy, you empower the Center to focus 100% of our energy on what we do best: supporting the LGBTQ+ community.