MOSAIC’s award-winning I Belong program successfully completed an outrageous walk-a-thon in solidarity on June 9th, 2018.
STRUT is the flagship annual fundraiser organized by the Foundation of Hope (FOH) that raises funds to support sponsorship groups and charities that actively assist lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and + (LGTBQ+) refugees and newcomers.
At this 4th STRUT, MOSAIC’s I Belong group had 15 participants including clients, staff members, counsellors, practicum students from Hong Kong, family members and friends. Carl Meadows, the founder and president of FOH, announced that over $51,000 was raised this year.
I Belong has been acknowledged for its innovative and successful programming to empower LGBTQ+ newcomers and has been one of the recipients of FOH’s community grant since its establishment in 2014. Also, I Belong has been instrumental in bringing the needs of LGBTQ+ newcomers to the national level by being the very first program at an immigrant settlement organization supporting LGBTQ+ newcomers and funded by the Federal government. Currently, the program offers a clinical counselling session for LGBTQ+ newcomers once a month at free of charge, thanks to the grant from FOH.
I Belong supports LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer/Questioning) immigrant newcomers by facilitating discussions around sexuality, gender, race, culture, and class. To learn more, please visit mosaicbc.org/ibelong.
