Standing with Pride: A Message from Kate Lodge for Pride Month

At A Place 4 Me, we envision a community where all young people—regardless of who they are or who they love—have a safe place to call home. During Pride Month, we take time to celebrate the LGBTQ+ youth in our community and to recognize both their strength and the systemic challenges they continue to face.

For too many LGBTQ+ young people, the journey to adulthood is marked by rejection, instability, and homelessness. Nationally, LGBTQ+ youth represent up to 40% of the youth homelessness population, despite making up less than 10% of the overall youth population. This is not a coincidence; it is the result of family rejection, discrimination, and a lack of affirming spaces.

That’s why Pride Month matters.

Pride is about visibility, belonging, and unapologetically affirming the worth of every LGBTQ+ person. But it’s also a call to action—a reminder that our work isn’t finished until all young people have the support, housing, and community they deserve.

At A Place 4 Me, we are proud to stand with LGBTQ+ youth not just this month, but every day. Through our Navigation Program, our Opportunity Passport® financial capability work, and our collaborative efforts with REACH and community partners, we’re committed to creating a system that affirms and uplifts young people of all identities.

We are especially proud to show up in spaces that celebrate youth and young adults - like Pride in Cleveland. This Saturday, we’ll be there with our partners from the Youth Drop-In Center, sharing information, building community, and listening to the voices of young people who deserve to be heard. Please come say hello to our staff and our partners!

To all the LGBTQ+ youth and young adults in our community:
We see you. We support you. And please know that we are working every day to build a future where you don’t just survive but thrive!

With pride,
Kate Lodge
Executive Director, A Place 4 Me