Community Group Spotlight: The LIAM Foundation

What is the name of your organization? Where are you based?

The LIAM Foundation. We are based in Rockford, Illinois.

 

What is your mission?

Our mission is to encourage, heal, and empower the LGBTQ+ community in Northern Illinois through Love, Integrity, Advocacy, and Mentorship. We also believe that suicide prevention is meeting people’s basic needs, and we aim to fill in the gaps where many transgender and other LGBTQ+ people fall through.

 

How long have you personally been involved with your organization?

I have personally been involved with The LIAM Foundation for a long time. Liam, the organization’s namesake, was one of my very close friends. Liam died by suicide in 2018, and his mother Phyllis Gallisath began collecting money to change transgender people’s names in the area as a way to keep his activism and legacy alive. In 2020, this name change project grew into the nonprofit that it is today. I was taken on as a formal staff member in 2022 as the organization grew into what it is today.

 

What’s the most satisfying part of your involvement?

The most satisfying part of my involvement is the ability to help others and have them know there are people out there who support and love them. Being trans, intersex, and queer myself I know how difficult navigating every day life can be, especially when first exploring your identity and coming out. Being able to see the joy on people’s faces when they finally have that isolating weight lifted off their shoulders when they realize they don’t have to go through these things alone is so rewarding.

 

What Is your favorite part of what you do?

My favorite part about what we do is build community. Being trans can feel like you’re the only one out there, which can feel very sad and scary. I and others have made lifelong connections and friendships with the other people who come to our center. Seeing our trans support group become its own family who does other things outside of the selected group time is very beautiful and healing. People feel much less isolated and have more support than they did walking into our center in many cases.

 

How do you specifically help the cross dressing and/or trans communities?

We help the LGBTQ+ community in general, but most of our services focus on trans people. We host a variety of support groups for LGBTQ+ people and specifically trans people. We also have a free closet and store that relies on donations. Through this, people are able to pick up any items they need for free: clothing, makeup, gender affirming items (eg. binders, packers, tucking underwear, etc.), hygiene items, and harm reduction & safer sex items. We help with gender exploration planning, where someone can talk with a mentor and ask questions about how hormone replacement therapy and other transition related experiences can go. We also help with financial aspects of transition and life for those who need it such as providing funds for prescriptions, copays, gas cards for doctor’s appointments, housing help, and more. Our aim is to help every person who walks through our door in whatever way we can, or refer them to people who specialize in the difficulties they are facing.

 

How long have you been involved with these communities?

I have been queer for as long as I remember, and out as trans for almost a decade now. I have done activism inside and outside of The LIAM Foundation since I was a child advocating for my rights in school. Liam and his mother also did this beginning when he came out, and she continues this work today.

 

How does someone find your organization?

Our organization can be found on social media (mainly Facebook and Instagram) as well as at our center: 1005 Fifth Ave. Rockford, IL. We have drop-in hours Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10-5.

 

How could someone reach out to help support your organization?

For monetary donations, that information can be found on our website at theliamfoundation.org. For item donations or volunteer opportunities, email [email protected] or [email protected]

 

What is your web site? Are you on social media? (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube…)

Theliamfoundation.org

https://www.facebook.com/theliamfoundation

https://www.instagram.com/the.liam.foundation/

Category: Transgender Community News