Things to do during lockdown that connect you or benefit the Utah LGBTQ community

Being forced to stay at home is a whole different thing than choosing to stay at home, isn’t it? Here are some things that you can do to either connect you with your community or even benefit your community in a much better way than powering through Tiger King.

QUAC Savers FunDrive

What better time to do Spring cleaning and help a local nonprofit raise money at the same time? Gather up your unwanted clothing and donate to help QUAC raise their goal amount of $3,000.

QUAC (Queer Utah Aquatic Club) is an all-inclusive swim team and water polo club located in Salt Lake City with over 60 members. They also provide an Adult Learn To Swim Program thru the US Master Organization’s Swimming Saves Lives program. Funds generated will provide financial assistance to swimmers unable to afford monthly team fees and buying new pool equipment needed for training & teaching.

More information is available at fundrive.savers.com/e/ quacspringcleaningfundraiser.

Donate money to the Utah AIDS Foundation Food Bank

“As a volunteer I feel it’s extremely important that the food bank at UAF continues to provide food for their clients during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are among some of the most vulnerable due to our compromised immune systems. Many of us are on a social security disability income, others may have lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Those who are working may have difficulty paying the copays for their HIV meds. Regardless of their situation, the Food Bank has always been there to help ease some of the financial difficulty by providing food. As a volunteer helping in the making of the food bags, I know UAF has taken every safety precaution to keep me and the clients safe. I’m thankful that I can continue helping through this pandemic so others can continue to have food.” —Mike

Right now, all financial donations are being matched. You can donate by going to the UAF website and by Venmo at @ UTAHAIDS using description “Food Bank.”

Join an LGBTQ senior chat session

The LGBTQ seniors group, SAGE Utah of the Utah Pride Center, comes together in a daily virtual meeting from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. You can join via computer or just by phone. Each day has a topic, which can be found on the group’s Facebook page. The link and phone number are below.

To join by computer, join through Google Hangouts at meet.google.com/ ard-nhrq-uha . To join by phone, dial 1-302-492-7553 and use pin 994 180 975#

If you would like to present a class or host a discussion, please email debhall@ utahpridecenter.org.

Complete your Census

LGBTQ people are disproportionately more likely to use programs like SNAP, Medicaid, and public housing. When you fill out the Census, that determines local funding for such programs.

Make sure you are counted in the Census by visiting 2020census.gov. It seriously only takes a few minutes.

Join the Utah Pride Center Lobby group

The Utah Pride Center unites, empowers and celebrates Utah’s diverse LGBTQ+ community by providing a safe and welcoming space for education, partnerships, services and events which advance our collective health, wellness and success. The Utah Pride Center Lobby Facebook Group serves as an online space where members of our community can come together. The group fosters an environment to support, educate, and reach out to members of Utah’s LGBTQ+ community. Utah Pride Center staff facilitate and moderate the private group, and within it provides resources, educational

Get your queer story out, hosted by the Bi+ group 1 to 5 Club

The 1 to 5 Club’s very own Shauna Brock is here taking down individual stories from the Queer community on Monday, April 6 at 7:30 p.m. Oral histories are a fantastic way to pass down our experiences and stories to future generations. Come and share yours, you never know the positive impact it may have on others later on!

To join the video meeting, click this link: meet.google.com/zfa-aamo-ajx or join by phone at 1-406-616-2456 and enter this PIN: 369 183 176#

More information can be found at the Facebook event page.

Read a book about LGBTQ Utah

Equality Utah put out a list of books about LGBTQ Utah. Check out: Real Queer America by Samantha Allen LGBT Salt Lake by J Seth Anderson Saving Alex by Alex Cooper and Joanna Brooks

Gay Rights and the Mormon Church by Greg Prince

Mama’s Boy by Dustin Lance Black

If one of these books strikes your curiosity, please consider supporting our local independent booksellers. Visit The King’s English Bookshop, Weller Book Works or Ken Sanders Rare Books online to see if they have or can order your copy.

“These books and stories remind us that despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles, time and again, our community rises above adversity,” wrote Equality Utah leaders.

Help out the bar staff of your favorite watering holes

As with all service employees, the people who make our nights great at our local LGBTQ bars are out of work during this quarantine. You can help by donating what you might have given them if you’d been out last weekend. Sun Trapp fundraiser. Club Try-Angles virtual tip jar.

Know of other ideas?

If you know of other ideas to put on this article, please email editor@qsaltlake. com