NOVATO DISCUSSION GROUP Facilitated By Nancy Flaxman, MSWWhere: MARGARET TODD SENIOR CENTER 1560 Hill Rd, Novato, Room 3When: FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, Noon to 2:00 PM Scent free Tuesday September 3, 2019 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM Caring for Ourselves and Others As LGBT people, we are often faced with creating our own “families of choice”. How do you hope to provide care to partners and friends, and how would you like others to be there for you? How do you care for your own well-being?
CORTE MADERA DISCUSSION GROUP Facilitated By Buz Hermes, MAWhere: CORTE MADERA TOWN CENTER Community Room, Suite 201When: SECOND WEDS OF EVERY MONTH, Noon to 2:00 PM Scent Free Wednesday September 11, 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM Anticipating the Unexpected As we are reminded of the tragic attacks of September 11, 2001; it seems like a good time to think about our disaster preparedness, whether the event is a personal health crisis or a home fire or a major earthquake. Let’s share our ideas for how we can take care of ourselves in a crisis!
When: Wednesday August 28th Time: 12:30 pm – 3 pm Where: The Marin Yacht Club, 24 Summit AveSan Rafael, CA 94901
Come enjoy a wonderful buffet lunch and as always the cash bar will be there for your enjoyment too! The price remains the same – $25
We want to extend our thanks to BUDWING for generously sponsoring this event. Don’t forget to make a contribution to one of BUDWING’s World Banks! It’s a small world, after all, and he will contribute by doubling or tripling your gift!!
We hope to see you there!! Please RSVP by Friday, August 23rdIf you have any dietary restrictions please indicate as much along with your RSVP. by calling Bri at 415-886-8554 or emailing her at bsilva@thespahrcenter.org
Caring for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBTQ+) Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities
Become empowered, supported and informed about the unique needs of LGBT+ older adults and adults with disabilities.
Understand how the caregiver’s approach affects the client’s care.
Learn about LGBT+ identity and caregiving.
Improve awareness and communications with and about LGBT+ people.
Earn a Certificate of Completion and $25, if you: 1) register by one week before the training, 2) arrive at the training on time and 3) complete the four-hour class.
Sign up online for the training that fits your schedule:
July 25, 12:30 – 4:30 p.m., Vintage House, 264 First St. East, Sonoma. Register: lgbt0725.eventbrite.com
September 26, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Person Senior Center/Finley Center, 2060 W. College Ave., Santa Rosa. Register: lgbt0926.eventbrite.com
October 9, 12:30 – 4:30 p.m., Windsor Senior Center, 9231 Foxwood Dr., Windsor. Register: lgbt1010.eventbrite.com
Space is limited, so make your free online reservation today! Call us with your questions: (707) 565-5700.
Training provided by: LGBTQ Connection, SAGECare and the Sonoma County Human Services Department Adult & Aging Division
Training funded and sponsored by: County of Sonoma, the Sonoma County Area Agency on Aging, In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority and the LBTQI Giving Circle Sonoma County
It’s been a busy couple of months for us at Face to Face! First, I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Sara Brewer and I am the new Executive Director of Face to Face. Our beloved Rick Dean retired in May after 32 years with the organization. I was fortunate to work alongside Rick and the team in my previous role as the HIV Program Manager at Santa Rosa Community Health, and am so excited for the opportunity to join the team. I am a Petaluma-native, returning home to Sonoma County after 18 years away. My academic background is in Medical Anthropology and International Development, which I studied at the University of Amsterdam and where I stayed to work internationally for several years. This included research and advocacy for affordable HIV and other medications in developing countries, as well as a consultant on supply chain management for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. I am so excited and grateful for the opportunity to work with this incredible team at Face to Face and to return home to contribute to ending HIV in Sonoma County! Even with all the transition, it’s been a smooth couple of months. We have been busy with events, completing another successful Beerfest in June, and preparing for a very special Art for Life in September. We’ll be honoring Rick at this year’s event, and hope you’ll join us in our celebration. We also want to thank the Sonoma Stompers for a fun time and supporting us at their Pride Night, and to the Russian River Sisters for supporting us at July’s Bingo. This year’s support at Gay Wine Weekend’s Sunday Brunch auction was absolutely incredible, with special thanks to our Development Director, Gary Saperstein, for continuing to support Face to Face for so many years through his event. I look forward to meeting you at Art For Life, if not before here in our offices in Santa Rosa. Sara
ART FOR LIFEOur Largest Fundraiser of the Year!Become a Sponsor Today!
Join Face to Face for this very special Art for Life, the longest-running Art Auction to end HIV as we bid farewell to our retiring director Rick Dean, while introducing you to our new Executive Director, Sara Brewer. Join us as we celebrate these two exceptional leaders. Please consider becoming asponsor for Art For Life as this is how we are able to put on this fabulous event and raise the much needed funds to do the work we do on a daily basis. Sponsor details and to sign up are right here.
Are you an Artist here in Sonoma County? We are always looking for new artists to join us at Art For Life. Donate a piece of your work and know that your art is helping people living with HIV in Sonoma County. For details and registration visit the Art For Life Website.
PROGRAM SERVICES UPDATEOnthe cutting edgewith theMAT program,as we continue to anticipate trends and gaps in services, and proactively evolve to meet the needs and demographics of our community.
Sonoma County is facing a public health crisis as the opioid and methamphetamine epidemics fuel the spread of HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis, not only through the spread of injecting drugs, but also through risky sexual behaviors associated with drug use. In 2015, we began our Syringe Exchange Program, providing a space where people feel comfortable, without judgement. In addition to providing sterile equipment, we train individuals in overdose prevention, and distribute Naloxone for opioid overdose reversal, saving lives in our community.
We are the most available syringe exchange program in Sonoma County, open 32 hours per week, providing over 350,000 syringes per year free of cost, with free disposal of used syringes. Last year alone, we provided services for over 3,000 people, with more than 2,000 visits to our office. We are uniquely positioned in Sonoma County to provide daily syringe exchange services alongside HIV testing and linkages to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a pill that when taking daily, prevents the transmission of HIV. The demand for these services has grown exponentially, and, in 2017 so did our physical space with the conversion of a former, and largely unused computer lab into a new client meeting and supplies storage room. We have developed trusting relationships with our participants, where they enter a space they are familiar with, are respected, without the requirement that they stop using drugs as a precondition of support. However, we are here to provide support when a person is ready to seek treatment.
Thanks to a 14-month grant from the Sierra Health Foundation in June, we began strengthening our linkage services to medicated assisted treatment (MAT) for people who use opioids, like heroin, fentanyl, and prescription pain relievers thatcontain opiates. MAT is the use of medications like buprenorphine, naltrexone, and methadone, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, to provide a whole-person approach to the treatment of opioid use disorders. Research shows that a combination of medication and therapy can successfully treat these disorders, and for some people struggling with substance use, MAT can help sustain recovery.
Participants are supported by a treatment navigator at Face to Face, who provides linkage to care, care coordination, advocacy, and support such as reminders and scheduling. Participants will be able to access a variety of treatment information on a dedicated computer. We will collect valuable data from these services that will allow us to continually improve the quality of our services.Together, we are reducing the spread of HIV in people who use drugs, and ending HIV in Sonoma County.
This summer we’ve been lucky to host a new crop of enthusiastic volunteers to help with our organic garden in Forestville.
“We love having new volunteers, such as the great crew from Medtronic who joined us recently,” said Sorrel Allen, Food For Thought’s Garden Manager. “It’s a joy to see fresh faces tend to the plants and tell us how grounding and fun it is to work with their hands in the dirt!”
We also LOVE our incredible team of existing volunteers. These dedicated gardeners are generous with their time and always helpful in bringing new folks up to speed. Thank you!
“The garden is a beautiful sight to behold right now,” said Sorrel. “It’s a wonderland of rare and beautiful and enormous plants in full bloom!” She explained this year’s abundance is partly due to the heavy spring rains but also to the nearly 20 years of prior garden management that created such happy, healthy soil.
“The garden is also going strong because so many kind people come out and care for it,” Sorrel explained. “It’s really lovely to see our homegrown, healthy ingredients in the soups and salads we serve at our weekly lunch program,” said Sorrel. “We simply couldn’t provide the same amount of food and love without the help of our wonderful volunteers.” Sorrel Allen Garden Manager
With this year’s organic goodness literally tumbling out of the beds, Sorrel welcomes volunteers to help harvest the bounty of cut flowers, culinary herbs, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes (30+ varieties!), summer and winter squash, chard, tomatillos, basil, kale, various other greens, strawberries, rhubarb, peaches, plums, pears, melons, and more! If you would like to volunteer in our garden, contact our Volunteer Coordinator Liv at LivC@FFTfoodbank.org (707) 887-1647 x125.
Board of Directors Officers Elected At its July meeting, Food For Thought’s Board of Directors elected the following officers: 2019-2020 OfficersFood For Thought Board of DirectorsRodney DiMartini PresidentRic GiardinaVice PresidentShan Magnuson Secretary Mark Short Treasurer We also welcome our newest board member, Betty Mullen, HR Director & Accounting Manager at Artizen Staffing. Read more about Food For Thought’s Board of Directors.
Great Deals Await You at Antique Store Closing SaleLast day of business: Sept. 14. Come find delightful discounts and plunging prices at the antique store’s “Closing Forever Sale.” We’re making deals so you can find that just-right treasure for your house or yard. Food For Thought Antiques 2701 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Sebastopol(707) 823-3101 Open daily 11am – 5pm See updates on our Facebook page.
Sign Up for RoundUp App Today!Did you know you can help feed seriously ill people in Sonoma County by simply donating your spare change to our programs? RoundUp App is a great new tool that lets you round up your credit card and debit card purchases to the next whole dollar and donate the extra change to Food For Thought. The app makes it simple to contribute small amounts over time. A dozen Food For Thought staff and Board of Directors members have started using RoundUp App, and they give it a solid thumbs up, telling us it’s easy to sign up for and use. To put your small change to work for our programs and clients, learn more and sign up on our RoundUp App page. Thank you!
We invite you to join Santa Rosa Gaydar at Broadway Under the Stars this summer for Transcendence’s production of “Those Dancin’ Feet” on Friday, August 23rd.You’re invited to a night of friends, wine, picnicking, vineyards, memories, breathtaking beauty and amazing talent you’ll never forget at Broadway Under the Stars in Sonoma Valley.The event begins with picnicking on the great lawn alongside the park’s sprawling vineyards. Here you’ll enjoy local pours from numerous Sonoma wineries, food from local vendors and pre-show music….
Transmission offers retreats for trans masculine, non binary, genderqueer and gender non-conforming people (AFAB) in beautiful locations in wooded northern California. Our gatherings include peer-led workshops and activities designed to support community.
Gathering for trans folks and more
Date: Aug 22-25 (4 days, 3 nights) Time: Thurs 4 pm – Sun 2 pm Location: Saratoga Springs, Upper Lake, CA
General Registration is open! One note: We still have some space, so people of color and those with disabilities will be immediately registered if placed on the waitlist.
This is our 5th annual summer gathering … heart circles, hiking, journaling, workshops, swimming, community discussions, music, laughter, fresh cooked meals … and 60 trans masculine folks!
We’ll spend 4 days/3 nights enjoying interactive workshops, fun activities, and friendship. If workshops aren’t your thing, take a dip in the pool, go for a hike, make music with friends, or just hang out.
We’ll sleep in shared cabins and bunk rooms, or you can bring your own tent or RV (sorry, no RV hookups at this site).
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If you’re feeling social, you’re sure to make friends. If you need some alone time, the beautiful natural setting provides plenty of space for solitude and contemplation.
Come connect with community, relax, and have fun. You can attend workshops all day, check out one or two, or skip them altogether. If you’re feeling social, there are be plenty of folks to connect with. If you’d rather have quiet time, the woods await you. It’s all good.
Transmission is not-for-profit and produced entirely by volunteers (we have no paid staff). Registration fees offsets our costs for renting retreat sites, providing meals, and paying recurring costs (website, software, bookkeeping, event insurance, etc). Donations allow us to offer scholarships.
The group’s mission is to help trans masculine folks deepen their self-confidence, friendships, and community connections. Our heart-centered retreats are affirming and fun! And in support of our community, Transmission is substance free, scent free, and tech free.
Transmission is inclusive in terms of race, ethnicity, trans masculine gender identity, presentation style, body type, age (18+), and sexual orientation. We ask everyone to commit to kindness and respect so we all feel safe and included.
Team Face to Face and I – Grace Villafuerte – are hosting a fundraiser in honor of my late partner, Lynn Campanario!
August 3rd – Saturday
1-5ish pm
2707 Claremont Drive
Santa Rosa
LIVE MUSIC ~ SILENT AUCTION ~ RAFFLE ~ FOOD ~ BACKYARD SHENANIGANS AND GAMES ~ A PET CHICKEN 🙂
Sliding Scale Donation: $10 — $10,000 – via donating to my SF AIDS Walk Fundraising page online or at the party sf.aidswalk.net/LynnStrong
Check out this shindig from 2017: youtube.com/watch?v=ZLGNTGY-_vg Please let me know if you can help with acquiring Silent Auction or Raffle Items!!!
Lynn dedicated her life to her work with HIV/AIDS clients and advocating for needed programs. Lynn began her involvement and commitment to HIV/AIDS work in the early 1980’s, having lost a close college friend to AIDS, who had isolated himself from his friends due to the stigma around the illness. She experienced and recognized early on the lack of understanding of both the virus, and the equally important need for emotional support and acceptance for those affected by HIV. Lynn worked for years with the Center for Disease Control in the HIV/AIDS department, and she spoke constantly (CONSTANTLY!) of how this work affected her continuing years of advocacy, understanding of policy and procedural development, and respectful interaction with clients in ALL community circles. As sooo many have said, one of the things that stands out about Lynn’s work, is her ability to understand how to appropriately meet community needs, her brilliance in being able to develop a path to meet these needs, and her compassion and patience that brought so many community members together to fulfill these needs. Even as a Director, Lynn insisted on continuing to volunteer at DAAC’s Needle Exchange, which she initially began doing in the 90’s.
Locally, Lynn worked with DAAC for years with HIV clients, and she greatly influenced HIV services in Sonoma County. Shortly before her passing, Lynn was SOO excited to become a Board Member for Face to Face, after having working in collaboration for numerous years. She felt a heightened sense of obligation and commitment to raise funds for the amazing programs of Face to Face. Since her passing, Lynn has been awarded two Gold Resolutions from the Board of Supervisors for her contributions improving our community – specifically with homeless and HIV programs. She was also given SAINTHOOD by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, for her HIV work. SAINT LYNNSTRONG.
Lynn left a legacy to ALWAYS try to do MORE than your share in your community, and emphasized the BELIEF that it is a privilege to be able to help others.
PLEASE help me raise my goal of $8,000 for our SF AIDS Walk – I truly believe one day Face to Face will stop the spread of HIV in Sonoma County!
one more time… Please let me know if you can help with acquiring Silent Auction or Raffle Items!!!
Register Your Support for State Legislation to Train Teachers on LGBTQ Issues The cornerstone of The Spahr Center’s work on LGBTQ Youth issues is a focus on building a safe and supportive environment in schools. We believe that, if teachers, administrators and support staff receive effective training about how to work well with LGBTQ students, we can lower current dropout rates and bullying. Our remarkable Youth Advocacy Coalition has trained 800 educators in the last two years, and is currently preparing to train additional teachers and administrators when school opens in the Fall.
Openly gay State Assembly member Todd Gloria has introduced AB 493 to assure increased training of educators on LGBTQ issues statewide. Existing law establishes the policy of the State of California to afford all people in public schools, regardless of their disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other specified characteristic, equal rights and opportunities in educational institutions. AB 493 would require every school to provide online training at least once every 2 years to teachers of pupils in grades 7 to 12, and to all other certificated employees at that school, on schoolsite and community resources for the support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) pupils, and strategies to increase support for LGBTQ pupils in order to improve overall school climate.
The Spahr Center prefers in-person training of educators on LGBTQ issues to online training, but nevertheless believes that AB 493 represents a big leap forward in building more supportive school environments for our youth. We encourage Spahrkle readers to help secure the bill’s passage. The bill has passed the Assembly on a vote of 61 to 0, receiving bipartisan support. It is now being heard in the State Senate, where pushback from groups opposed to LGBTQ rights is strong. Please call Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove today at (916) 651-4016, and ask her to assure passage of this important civil rights legislation.
The Spahr Center is Speaking Up About Our Clients’ Needs Before Marin Government. Can You Help on August 19?
The Spahr Center is increasing its presence before Marin County Boards and Commissions, as well as with Department leadership, to educate public policy makers about the needs of LGBTQ youth and seniors, as well as people living with HIV, and encourage increased County support for our work. We are also participating in two processes this summer that will help the County to establish strategic direction and allocate funding for senior, mental health, substance abuse and community development programs. On August 19, the Commission on Aging is holding a listening session in Tam Valley to hear the concerns of seniors living in this southern portion of the County. If you are a senior living in Strawberrry, Homestead or Tam Valley, we encourage you to attend and speak up! Time and location are being determined. Email dvangorder@thespahrcenter.org to sign up, and Dana will make sure you receive all the detail about this important meeting.
THE CAUSE TO BE PROUD CAMPAIGN WAS A GREAT SUCCESS! Thank you to our many donors!The Spahr Center’s Cause To Be Proud fundraising campaign kicked off on March 1st with a direct mail campaign, and continued through June 30th, with our Pride Picnic pulling up the rear. We are thrilled to report the following: On April 18th we participated in a national fundraising event, Give OUT Day, which is the only day of dedicated giving for the LGBTQ+ community. Our loyal friends and supporters did not disappoint, donating a total of $5,043 in a 24-hour period! Next, we held a fundraiser at Falkirk Cultural Center on June 10th that re-introduced our supporters and new allies to our life-affirming work. The event was a definite success. We heard moving stories from some of our clients and participants about how The Spahr Center has been crucial to their well-being, raffled off five beautiful artworks, and enjoyed a charming evening among friends! At Falkirk, we announced a fantastic $5,000 grant from long-time supporters Miguel Ruelas and Sid Hartman, with a challenge to triple that gift – which we easily accomplished. It is because of your care and support that we were able to exceed our goal for Cause to be Proud. When all was said and done, the entire campaign brought in a whopping $40,797.20! This helped us to end our fiscal year on June 30 with a small surplus of funds that give us a nice head start on a new year of fundraising. We can’t thank our many donors enough for their commitment to The Spahr Center’s important mission.
Announcing Marin Sister Talk, a New Discussion Group for Women Over 50The Spahr Center is pleased to announce that a new 8-session women’s discussion group will be starting in September on Saturday afternoons. Here are the essentials: Who: Marin County women over 50 who identify as lesbian, bisexual, or transgender/non-binary What: Topics will be suggested by the group and may include themes such as creating community, the dating scene, or dealing with grief and loss, with an emphasis on how we can support one another in finding fulfillment in this phase of our lives When: Saturday afternoons, 3:00 – 4:30 pm, twice a month, beginning in September (dates TBA) Where: The Spahr Center – 150 Nellen Avenue, Corte Madera Facilitator: Laura Fannon, Psy.D., Clinical Psychologist Participants: Maximum of 15 participants, pre-registration required Cost: There is no cost to participate, though donations are welcome To register, or for more information, call (628) 214-8939 or send an email to sistertalk@thespahrcenter.org
Thriving in Marin! The Spahr Center’s HIV Long-term Survivors Support Group By Will Boemer, Group FacilitatorIn December 2017, The Spahr Center re-started a support group for HIV Long-term survivors similar to one that had run for many years, and since its start, we’ve had some 50 clients involved. The former group was facilitated by new Spahr board member, and current support group member, Bobby Moske. Recognizing that anyone living with HIV or AIDS has lived through some frightening personal times the group meets to talk through many life issues and topics, some HIV-related and others not. In an effort to acknowledge the successes we have had over the years, both individually and as an aging HIV populace, we are still very much aware of our issues and challenges – but work to put these in perspective. Group participants can’t have survived all the “slings and arrows” of HIV/AIDS for years (and decades for many of us!) without having had some very successful survival strategies and experiences! And so, our name is now The Spahr Center’s HIV Long-Term Survivors Support Group – Thriving in Marin, and our new motto is “Striving to THRIVE in spite of it ALL!” As facilitator of this support group, I look forward to hearing from any and all HIV-positive Spahr Center clients who wish to participate in our gatherings. We meet twice per month, on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday evenings, from 6:30-8 pm, at The Spahr Center located at 150 Nellen Avenue in Corte Madera. If you have questions or concerns I can be reached at willabo@pacbell.net
ARE YOU AN LGBTQ VETERAN? We Recruit!
LGBTQ Veterans of the North Bay are forming a social organization that advocates, educates and has fun. We believe we are Stronger Together. We have an opportunity to foster camaraderie, learn, grow and heal by sharing our stories and resources. Those of us believing that “We’re Not Done Yet” can serve our communities in a variety of ways, such as reading to a veteran in hospice, or driving someone to a medical appointment). This will be a membership driven organization, built from the ground up, with a first organizing meeting on September 28th in the Community Room at the Corte Madera Towne Center. We are nonpartisan, but will educate and advocate for the full recognition and equal protection of all LGBTQ Veterans and Servicemembers. Look for our booth at the MarinVolunteer Fair on September 7th, 11 am-2 pm (Children’s Island at Marin Civic Center.) For more information, please contact Anders Winther at gaypatriotveteran@gmail.com or (415) 408-6078.
Senior LGBTQ LuncheonOur next LGBTQ Senior (all ages welcome!) Luncheon is just a few weeks away! We’ll be having an “end of summer” BBQ at the the beautiful Marin Yacht Club. Join us for a wonderful lunch among friends on Wednesday, August 28th from 12:30 pm – 3 pm. Don’t forget to bring your loose change and put it into one of BUDWING’s World Banks! He will double or triple your contribution and all proceeds will go towards our Senior Program Fund. Please RSVP by Friday, August 23rd to Bri at bsilva@thespahrcenter.org or give her a call at 415-886-8554(please advise in your RSVP if you have any dietary restrictions)
AIDS Walk May Have Been Cold and Foggy, But Our Hearts Were Warm – And There’s still time to contributeBy Andy FyneIt was a chilly, foggy and windy morning in Golden Gate Park as the kick off ceremony began for this year’s AIDS Walk on July 14. However, the Spahr Center’s team warmed up in no time as we started our annual 10K walk. We finished the morning, still in dense fog, but with bodies and hearts warmed by the dedication of the group. Also heartwarming was the fact that we raised $13,741 to benefit our HIV/AIDS programming. Each team member who sent an email to their friends and family members raised, on average, $1250. That’s amazing, though not entirely surprising because each member believes deeply in The Spahr Center’s mission. Each member composed a fundraising email about why our programs and services are so important to them. That’s the type of appeal that gets results. My email was about our goal to get to zero new HIV infections and zero deaths from HIV disease in Marin. That is a powerful message, not just because it is important to me personally, but because we can achieve this awesome goal with sufficient resources and energy. And when my friends, acquaintances and family members read how important ending HIV is to me, they responded generously. If you missed making a donation, our 11 team members can still collect funds until August 9. We would appreciate a generous gift that will move us closer to our 2019 goal of $16,000. That, by the way, is another awesome goal we can achieve. Please click the button below to donate directly to any of the team members you would like, and celebrate the reasons why The Spahr Center is important to you.
Support GroupsThe Spahr Center offers a variety of social support groups. Below is a list of the groups, with a short description. Please click any of the groups to learn more!
HIV Groups Latino Support Group – this group is for Latinos living with or affected by HIV. Women’s Support Group – this group is for women living with or affected by HIV. Thriving in Marin – this group is for any individual who identifies as a “long-term survivor” of HIV.LGBTQ Groups Caregiver Groups – these groups are for parents/caregivers of gender expansive and/or questioning youth Youth Drop-in Groups – these groups are for any LGBTQ youth Senior Discussion Groups – these are facilitated discussion groups for LGBTQ identified adults of any age. Men’s Brown Bag Lunch – this is a casual discussion group for men that meet for lunch and discussion.
