THE L-FUND PROVIDES EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Since 2012, The L-Fund has provided emergency financial assistance to cis and trans lesbians in crisis across the Coachella Valley and surrounding areas. Wanting to help beyond emergencies, our programs have expanded to include education assistance, health and wellness aid, and grants for lesbian artists. Founded by lesbians for lesbians and the only organization of its kind in the country, we work closely with the community at large to improve the lives of our sisters. Find out more about us.
Why The L-Fund believes the word “lesbian” matters:
We hold strongly that preserving the word lesbian is important. This term allows us to more specifically name and value woman-defined relationships and the history of these relationships as it exists across all cultures. Additionally, we also understand the term lesbian as an active form of resistance to the erasure that often happens to us and our communities when the more generalized term “gay” is used—a term that in its popular usage refers primarily to gay men. We at The L-Fund use the term lesbian and define it to be inclusive of all those under the LGBTQIA2S+ umbrella who self-identify as women who love women.
Mission Statement
The mission statement of the L-Fund is to empower cis and trans lesbians through financial crisis assistance, grants for education, the arts and health and wellness programs.
Vision Statement
The L-Fund envisions a future of an inclusive and diverse community in which lesbians are provided a reliable resource for financial assistance, social engagement, and programs that enrich the lives of lesbians.
Be a part of our fundraisers. See our past events
EXCITING UPDATE!!
The L-Fund has some wonderful news to share with about “Jackie,” the lesbian single mom living in a dangerous situation. We are using a pseudonym to protect her privacy until we get her out of her country of origin.
Last year we reached out for community support to help us bring Jackie here to the Coachella Valley on a student visa. Her home country is the most homophobic country in the Caribbean and the US Embassy advises not to travel there due to violent crime rates. Lesbian and gay people have no laws to protect them and are particularly targeted without recourse. Jackie experienced it first-hand and is frightened for her own life as she was outed as a lesbian, as well as for the safety of her son.
Many of you heeded our call and together we raised over $6,000.00 for Jackie! We hoped we could bring her here sooner so she could start COD’s Health Sciences program in the Fall of 2021. Unfortunately, it took a little bit longer but here we are! SUCCESS!!
Jackie was just approved for her student visa at the College of the Desert! She is enrolled to begin classes in January 2022. Jackie will be accompanied by her 14-year-old son. She is ecstatic and so are we!
Now the real work begins. We need to secure airfare and housing for Jackie and her son so that she can get acclimated here in the desert and start her studies in the middle of January. We have been very conservative with the monies entrusted to us and the remaining monies will be spent primarily on tuition. Therefore, we are reaching out again to see if anyone has airline miles they would like to donate or housing they can provide (or suggestions / recommendations for housing). The rental rates in the Coachella Valley are expensive and finding a 2-bedroom accommodation may be difficult. We will consider a one-bedroom or even a studio or casita, if necessary. Ideally, the housing accommodation will be close to a bus line so that Jackie can easily get to COD and her son can get to his high school (which will depend on the city where we can get the best housing for them).
Once they are here and housing is in place, we will need furnishings, household goods, clothing, food, etc.
We are seeking your generosity in helping Jackie and her son get a fresh new start in the new year. Perhaps a year-end donation to our non-profit on Jackie’s behalf can be made. You can click the DONATE button below. Please note “Jackie” on your donation. If you wish to offer housing or airline miles or any other non-monetary donation, please contact Jan Alden, The L-Fund treasurer, at 510-332-9707 or at jan.alden@l-fund.org.
MEET SOME OF OUR RECENT GRANT RECIPIENTS!
Briana Nieves
Growing up in Compton, CA., Briana feels privileged to attend Copper Mountain College in Joshua Tree. Her mother was a nurse who loved her job and loved helping others. Losing her mother, Briana realized that she wanted to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a nurse. Briana is a sophomore and has been using the laptops at the campus library to do all of her class assignments and has managed to have a 3.8 GPA while also playing on the basketball team. The L-Fund Education Assistance Program (LEAP) provided Briana with a new laptop and headphones.
Comedian Shann Carr is a 22 year resident of Palm Springs who co-hosts a podcast called I Love Gay Palm Springs. She is also a Realtor, Entertainment Producer, Radio Host, and Community Organizer and wears countless other hats that include hosting and emceeing film festivals, cruises and comedy shows. When the pandemic hit our local community in early 2020, Shann found that many of her real estate transactions stalled and gigs dried up. To add insult to injury, her health insurance quadrupled. Shann, a volunteer and big supporter of The L-Fund since its inception, all of a sudden found herself as the one in need. She never imagined she would be a Health and Wellness recipient and was hesitant to ask for help but former Executive Director/CEO, Barbara Carpenter, insisted that she apply. Barbara told her, “If you don’t apply for help, I’m going to tuck money under your doormat from my own bank account!”.
Shann is grateful for The L-Fund and that the organization was there when she needed it the most. Financial assistance from the Health and Wellness programs helped her get quickly back on her feet. The L-Fund appreciates Shann and all of the hours she has donated to the organization so it was only fitting that The L-Fund was there for her.
Desiree Gutierrez
Lesbian in Need (LIN) recipient Desiree Gutierrez was facing eviction for her and her teenage son after moving to Palm Springs in search of a safer and open community. Upon applying to LIN, she was approved within 3 days for emergency rent assistance. Watch this short video to hear this single mother share how The L-Fund has helped her family. In her own words, “I can breathe now.”
OUR PROGRAMS
- Lesbians in Need (LIN): LIN offers financial assistance to cis and trans lesbians in crisis. Circumstances may include potential eviction, homelessness, loss of transportation, unhealthy or unsafe living conditions, food insecurity, and other high-risk mental, physical and emotional circumstances.
- L-Fund Education Assistance Program (LEAP): LEAP provides education grants of up to $2,500 per year for cis and trans lesbians in need to attend continuing education, certification classes, trade or vocational schools, community colleges and universities.
- Debra I. Moore Grant for the Arts: The Debra I. Moore Grant for the Arts supports cis and trans lesbian artists working in any medium or genre, including visual artists, sculptors, musicians, writers, filmmakers, playwrights, performance artists, designers, and others.
- Health & Wellness Fund: The Health and Wellness Fund provides financial support for a variety of medical services and needs, including but not limited to: medical supplies, hearing aids, eye glasses, dental procedures, walking aids, mental health services, health insurance and out-of-pocket expenses for insured, uninsured, and underinsured lesbians.
Eisenhower Health is a not-for-profit, comprehensive health care institution that includes the 463-bed Eisenhower Hospital, the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center at Eisenhower and the Annenberg Center for Health Sciences at Eisenhower. Situated on 130 acres in Rancho Mirage, and with outpatient clinics across the valley, Eisenhower Health has provided a full range of quality medical and educational services for 50 years for residents and visitors to the greater Coachella Valley. Eisenhower recently earned the LGBTQ Health Care Equality Top Performer Designation in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index and is a proud supporter of The L-Fund.
Eisenhower Health Events CalendarThe L-Fund exists only with the support of our generous donors.
Help us continue this important work.