North County LGBTQ Resource Center

The North County LGBTQ Resource Center, based at 1919 Apple Street in Oceanside, serves LGBTQI+ people, their families and allies across North San Diego County. People come from Encinitas, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, Escondido, Fallbrook, Bonsall, Camp Pendleton and surrounding areas. The Center's mission is to serve, empower and advocate for the region's diverse LGBTQI+ community, and it pictures a North County where everyone lives in equality and feels accepted, valued and safe.

Support for mental health and everyday stability sits at the center of the work. Behavioral Health Services offers clinical intakes and referrals at low or no cost, with consultations Monday through Friday by appointment and session fees on a sliding scale from $25 to $65. Case management is trauma-informed and covers housing navigation, eviction prevention and utility support, benefits, recovery and addiction resources, hate incident reporting and victim services. The Stop the Hate program helps people who have experienced a hate incident or hate crime file a report and connect with LGBTQI+ affirming legal, financial, mental health and mediation resources.

The Center has deep programming for transgender and gender expansive people. The Gender Advocacy Project runs a free clinic for name and gender marker changes, and Gender Gems, a gender affirming supplies exchange, provides binders, breast forms and packers to youth and adults who cannot otherwise get them. Immigration Services helps LGBTQ+ immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers with navigation and referrals to direct legal help through a partner organization, and the Reproductive Justice Project offers advocacy and accompaniment for gender affirming reproductive health care.

Young people have a place to organize and celebrate. Project Youth supports LGBTQ youth ages 9 to 30 with year-round activities, including Queer Prom, the annual Trans Salon and a Leadership Summit. Unicorn Homes provides crisis and transitional housing support for LGBTQ young adults who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, alongside job readiness and life skills. The Mama Linda Queer Youth Fund grants awards to young people ages 16 to 22 for education-related expenses, with a Pride reception each May.

Health and community care continue through adulthood. Thrive, a monthly group for LGBTQI+ people living with HIV, meets on the third Saturday, and HIV testing and counseling is offered on a regular schedule in partnership with Vista Community Clinic. Foodies & Goodies, in collaboration with Feeding San Diego, distributes fresh produce and food on Fridays from noon to 3 PM. Senior Legacy Pride hosts a social group on the third Wednesday of each month and has documented the stories of more than 20 LGBTQ+ seniors in a portrait exhibition.

The Center also brings the community together. It produces Pride by the Beach, North County's June Pride celebration, along with the Lavender Gala, and its Professional Partners Program connects LGBTQ+ affirming business owners and professionals at in-person mixers.

The Center is open Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM. Call (760) 994-1690 or email info@northcountycenter.org to ask about services. Volunteers can apply on the website, and donations support programs and the Center's new home.