Despite growing support for the LGBT community, gay non-profit concerns may be met with some amount of skepticism. As a business model by themselves, non-profits often face doubts about their feasibility; new ventures may be met by concerns about profitability and the cost of running, all of which may be compounded by the causes they support, including gay concerns. These concerns in fact serve to highlight the important role played by the gay non-profit bodies. What are the different roles played by these institutions? Concerns related to health and well-being, education, housing, etc. for gays are among prime concern for most non-profit organizations. If the organization is involved in providing shelters to the homeless, practical concerns such as number of beds and housing capacity are high on priority. After physical concerns such as food, shelter and clothing are taken care of attention needs to be given to the mental health of the gay community. Robust mental health allows individuals to deal better with adverse conditions such as protracted unemployment or unequal opportunities, etc. Given their neutral stand, gay non-profit agencies are ideally suited to provide all of these to individual members of the community. Non-profits that provide shelter to the homeless within the gay community will also look at better rehabilitation or ways in which to move them into homes of their own. Support is needed for homeless youth who would also benefit from some guidance related to earning a livelihood as per their capabilities. Helping reconciliation Many non-profit organizations also work towards helping gays reconcile with their faith and communicate with them constantly to ensure they deal in a positive manner with conflicts within their family as well with their surroundings. Often, counseling may be needed to take care of emotional trauma that could lead to suicidal tendencies. This could involve one-on-one mentoring and counseling that can have multiple positive effects, such as helping gays become more confident. Eventually for most non-profit organizations, this confidence needs to translate into independence for gays. There are several essential elements that the organization needs to pursue, to ensure that their beneficiaries are actually on their way to becoming independent. These elements take care of both, physical and mental well-being, allowing the individual to finally pursue independence. Some basic concerns for a gay non-profit organization > Just being present for gay individuals to reach out to, in times of distress. This functions more like a 24x7 helpline. > Provide assistance and medical resources for HIV testing and ensure medical attention for other conditions. Mobilize relevant agencies and organizations for the purpose. > Help with administrative work, including paperwork such as ID cards, driving licenses, etc. > Provide assistance in access to mental health assistance, if needed. > Provide assistance in the form of housing, shelter, clothing, and food. About the Author: Out Impact is a gay non-profit organization that is committed to supporting gay and activism communities that strive to make a positive difference. Out Impact publishes an online gay magazine that focuses on information as well as entertainment, while raising awareness towards different philanthropic causes as well.
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