2020 has been a year of perseverance.

Like most of you, the shifting world of 2020 put

pressure on our resources and our morale. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed to us what we are capable of in crisis, and who is most left behind. The killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Riah Milton, Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells, and many others had us question what protection from harm really means. The 2020 election cycle required us to find our voice and vote towards an unknowable future.

2020 revealed to me many new truths about OUTMemphis and our purpose. Within 24 hours on March 16, we changed our model from a gathering place to a walk-in food distribution and HIV testing site. We linked more new HIV positive individuals into care this year than any previously. We pushed against food insecurity head-on for the first time in our history. We made this pivot without missing one single day of services: the day we “closed” the Center was the same day we “opened” our food distribution program.

View our full 2020 recap

After several months of humbling outside support, in July we launched OUTLast: our direct financial assistance program. We met a heartbreaking spike in homeless youth with unwavering services, doubling the number of youth in OUTMemphis housing than last year.

This recap is a portrait of our year of perseverance, learning, coping, and, on occasion, joy. To our longtime supporters: your steadfast loyalty, whether through a donation or a kind note to a staff member, made this year possible. To those who came to OUTMemphis this year out of a new motivation to give: welcome, we couldn’t need you more.

With health and healing to you and yours,