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Cathy Renna, 917-757-6123, cathy@rennacommunications.com
Laura McGinnis, 202-596-0402, laura@rennacommunications.com


New York, NY, October 8, 2009. Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Elders (SAGE) today celebrated a decision by the U.S. Administration on Aging to award a highly competitive new grant to a local lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) aging services program at the Los Angeles LGBT Community Service Center. This grant was one of over a dozen distributed by the Administration on Aging to community organizations serving diverse older adult communities and the first ever for an LGBT service provider.

 “This grant award is a major breakthrough for the LGBT older adult community," said Michael Adams, Executive Director of SAGE. "For many years, the LGBT community's programs for our elders have been ignored and shut out by federal funders," said Adams. “We are very pleased to see the Obama Administration right that wrong as a matter of policy and take an important step forward in recognizing the needs of LGBT older adults,” continued Adams. Adams pointed out that the federal government is the largest funder of senior services in the country.  “LGBT older adults make up a significant portion of this country's senior population – it should be a matter of public policy that they receive appropriate support."


“More and more LGBT seniors have been coming to the Center for help as they’ve been battered by the bad economy,” said Lorri L. Jean, chief executive office of the L.A. Gay  Lesbian Center. “This first-of-its-kind federal grant will help us significantly increase the vital services the Center offers to LGBT seniors who are often isolated and may lack the resources they need to make ends meet.”

“We congratulate our colleagues at the Los Angeles LGBT Center on receiving this grant,” said Karen Taylor, Director of Advocacy  Training at SAGE. “There remains a tremendous gap in funding and support for local organizations providing services to LGBT older adults, and this grant signals the start of what we hope will be increased support for work with LGBT older adults from the federal government,” concluded Taylor.

SAGE is the world's oldest and largest non-profit agency dedicated to serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender older people. Since its inception, SAGE has pioneered programs and services for the aging LGBT community, provided technical assistance and training to expand opportunities for LGBT older people across the country, and provided a national voice on LGBT aging issues. In 2005 SAGE became the first official LGBT delegate at a White House Conference on Aging. In 2008, SAGE presented its Fourth National Conference on LGBT Aging, entitled "It's About Time," sponsored by AARP. For more information, please visit www.sageusa.org.