Giving Compass' Take:

• North Idaho Pride Alliance is building connections throughout communities so older LGBTQ adults can have support systems throughout their lives. 

• Why is it essential to build these systems for older LGBTQ adults as well as LGBTQ youth?

• Read about grantmaking strategies for LGBTQ health. 

“In North Idaho, discrimination is alive and well,” says Juli Stratton, Executive Director of North Idaho Pride Alliance (NIPA) in Coeur D’Alene, a Pride Foundation Community Grantee. “We hear people in North Idaho say, ’We don’t have any LGBTQ people here.’ But we know that statement is not true. That mentality is changing, in part I think, because of our work to create visibility for marginalized folks.”

NIPA is working to build a more unified Idaho through networking, education, and advocacy. With a focus on LGBTQ youth and older adults, they are creating spaces to build connections and raise awareness throughout the region. LGBTQ older adults, particularly those living in rural areas, endure greater degrees of isolation and discrimination, often lacking strong family connections and the support of a broader care network.

As a result, many are forced back into the closet when they interact with mainstream service organizations.

Recently, NIPA has also been building relationships with local organizations, businesses, and service providers and is conducting trainings with these groups on how to better serve older LGBTQ clients. NIPA also created the Silver Alliance, a support group where LGBTQ adults over the age of 50 can socialize and share resources.

Read the full article about LGBTQ older adults by Jill Becker at Pride Foundation.