1st homeless shelter for transgender people opening in NYC
Ace’s Place, a shelter with 150 beds in Long Island City, Queens, will offer transitional housing and specialized support services to members of the LGBTQ+ community, the NYC Department of Social Services says.
The city is partnering with Destination Tomorrow, a national LGBTQ+ organization, to offer shelter residents resources from counseling and employment assistance to independent living, life skills and financial literacy workshops, even a culinary arts program.
The shelter will have a full-time psychiatric nurse practitioner and other staff providing specialized mental health support, according to the city. Destination Tomorrow will offer yoga and meditation through its wellness programs, the city added.
A giant Trans Flag seen at the march. Thousands of New Yorkers took to the streets of Manhattan to participate on the Reclaim Pride Coalition’s (RPC) fourth annual Queer Liberation March, where no police, politicians or corporations were allowed to participate. This year the march highlighted Trans and BIPOC Lives, Reproductive Justice, and Bodily Autonomy.Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images
“We couldn’t be prouder to make this historic announcement that strongly affirms our values and commitment to strengthening the safety net for transgender New Yorkers at a time when their rights are roundly under attack,” Molly Wasow Park, the city’s social services commissioner, said. “Ace’s Place will offer Transgender New Yorkers a safe place to heal and stabilize in trauma-informed settings with the support of staff who are deeply invested in their growth and wellbeing.”
“The opening of the country’s first city-funded TGNC shelter is more than historic — it is lifesaving,” Chanel Lopez, the deputy director of LGBTQ+ affairs for the New York State Executive Chamber, said. “For far too long, my community has been pushed to the margins, forced to navigate systems that were never built with our safety or dignity in mind. This shelter represents what’s possible when we center community voices, invest in affirming care, and lead with equity. Destination Tomorrow is setting not only a local, but a national standard — and I am proud to witness this moment.”
The New York City Department of Homeless Services is one of the largest government organizations tasked with preventing homelessness, with an operating budget of over $2 billion.