Lambert House: A Safe Haven Empowering LGBTQ+ Youth to Thrive

Lambert House LGBTQ+ Youth Community Center empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth through the development of leadership, social, and life skills. Lambert House was founded by pediatrician and 美国华盛顿大学 Director of The Center on Human Development and Disability, Dr. Robert Deisher, in 1981. He observed that LGBTQ+ youth were experiencing higher rates of negative health outcomes compared to their cisgender and heterosexual peers, and he believed that bringing LGBTQ+ youth together was an antidote to the cause of those higher rates of negative health outcomes: Social isolation.

Today, over 90% of LGBTQ+ youth tell us their #1 goal in coming to Lambert House is to make friends. We offer over 40 programs, services, and events, mostly geared towards helping youth accomplish this goal. Our programs include affinity-based peer support groups, activity groups, a drop-in center, dinner program, clothing & toiletries, case management, field trips to arts & culture events, outdoor recreation, groups in smaller/rural communities, online programs, case management, systems advocacy, training on LGBTQ cultural competence for other providers, and more.

How does the organization promote diversity and inclusion?

Lambert House LGBTQ+ Youth Community Center believes that diversity in all ways is important to creating a truly welcoming and safe community. There is no one way to be a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and as our community intersects with all other communities, we are diverse by nature. As such, we do not expect LGBTQ+ youth or adult volunteers to subscribe to particular beliefs or points of view, and we foster healthy, respectful dialogue and discussion about current issues facing our community. We invite feedback from youth about their needs, and how Lambert House can improve it's programs and services, including requesting new diversity-related affinity groups and activities.

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What have been some of the organization’s biggest milestones or achievements?

Lambert House was the first 501(c)3 organization recognized in the United States solely dedicated to LGBTQ+ youth (1981). Lambert House opened the first daily drop-in center for LGBTQ+ youth in the world (1991). Lambert House purchased it's home in 2016, and paid off the mortgage in early 2024, becoming only the 5th LGBTQ+ youth organization in the United States to own its facility. In 2020, Lambert House launched online programs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with 27 weekly programs at peak, and reaching youth from 28 US states, and 10 other countries. Lambert House continues to offer online programs to support youth in rural and conservative areas where LGBTQ+ youth have a more difficult time finding peers.?

There are many youth stories Lambert House could share, but here is a recent one: A 22-year old gay man showed up on our front port in late-September 2023 well before Lambert House was open, but the Program Director happened to be in and answered the door. Over the course of four hours, using Google Translate to communicate, this young man shared that he fled his home country in western Asia due to anti-LGBTQ violence. He was bullied and tormented all of his teen years, sexually assaulted which caused him to contract HIV, was fired from his job for being gay, and less than a year ago was assaulted on the street and left unconscious. His choices were to stay, and probably be killed, or leave and try to build a life elsewhere. He found his way to the United States via Central America and Mexico, and made it to Seattle where he was able to couch-surf with other young adults from his country (but who did not know he was gay). He needed housing, medical care, an immigration attorney, and support. The Lambert House Program Director worked with him for 10 hours a week to find and connect him to all of these resources, and through the legal work of a volunteer attorney, he was granted asylum at the end of May 2024. This process normally takes 3 years or more, and it was accomplished in just 8 months.?

How has the organization impacted the lives of the people it serves??

Hundreds of LGBTQ+ youth (and adults) have shared that Lambert House saved their life by preventing their suicide. Lambert House has helped hundreds of homeless LGBTQ+ youth who were rejected by their families find LGBTQ+ competent shelter & housing. Through Lambert House, youth find lifelong friends, supportive faith communities, self-esteem and confidence,?strategies for coming out,?dating, navigating bullying, and more. By having normal, healthy, safe adolescent?experiences at Lambert House that are often not accessible at school or in their communities, LGBTQ+ youth are able to launch into adulthood prepared to continue building community, and have a positive impact on the world.?

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How can GlobalMindED help your organization reach your goals?

LGBTQ+ youth have many unmet needs, and Lambert House LGBTQ+ Youth Community Center has the expertise to meet them, but we need more financial resources that are stable long-term. Members that resonate?with our Mission and work are welcome to become long-term monthly donors which provides stability for our programs and services. Lambert House is set to begin major renovations to our facility, a 1901-built Victorian house, which will increase our youth program space by over 40%, create year-round dry storage, and make our building more earthquake-safe. Larger one-time contributions towards our facility projects, in addition to ongoing support for our programs, will enable Lambert House LGBTQ+ Youth Community Center to serve more youth in more ways, now and in the future. Donations can be made through Network for Good or PayPal on our website at?lamberthouse.org/giving ; donations larger than $1,000 are humbly requested to be made by check to Lambert House, and mailed to PO Box 23111, Seattle, WA 98102 so we can avoid credit card processing fees for these larger donations (donations of all sizes are welcome to be made by check as well).

Those who live locally in the greater Seattle area may also wish to become volunteers facilitating youth programs, or supporting in other ways. Information about volunteering is on our website at?lamberthouse.org/volunteer

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