Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic (KBFPC) recently received a $10,000 Community Grant from the Pride Foundation to provide support services for LGBTQ youth, adults, and families through clinic, school, and community-based programs on the lower Kenai Peninsula, KBFPC announced in a press release.

The Pride Foundation is a regional community foundation that inspires giving to expand opportunities and advance full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people across the Northwest.

They invest in organizations, students, and leaders in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington, “transforming individual acts of courage into a unified movement for change,” the press release said.

KBFPC provides accessible, inclusive reproductive health services, including healthcare, education and outreach. Additionally, the R.E.C. Room (a youth Resource Enrichment Cooperative) offers teens ages 12-18 years “empowering, respectful options using a positive youth development model with programs that are evidence based, progressive and compassionate,” the press release said.

In the summer of 2017 a collaborative effort with South Peninsula Behavioral Health Services resulted in a LGBTQ and Allies youth support group.

A high point of the summer was having a Pride float in the Fourth of July parade. These teens decided upon the name “Rainbow Army” and they enjoyed the summer program so much that they requested to continue it through the school year.

“The Pride Foundation will support incorporation of LGBTQ inclusiveness throughout the entire lesson package,” said KBFPC director Catriona Reynolds. “With this funding supporting it the Rainbow Army will continue to flourish. The teens have ambitions to hold Homer’s very first Pride Parade during a month of celebrations in June.”

Skyler Dundas, 15, describes himself as a homosexual demi-boy. He praised the Rainbow Army and the REC Room.

“Recently I discovered my gender, sexual and romantic identity with the help of the R.E.C. Room and Frankie at The Center (South Peninsula Behavioral Health Services),” Dundas said. “Without the help of the R.E.C. Room I wouldn’t have met Frankie, and wouldn’t have met all the amazing LGBT+ members of the community. It’s been amazing having this support, especially when I lived with unsupportive family members. … I hope in the future the Rainbow Army and R.E.C. Room can continue to grow and be positive for more people in the community.”