The San Diego LGBT Community Center

The San Diego LGBT Community Center, known as The Center, works to enhance and sustain the health and well-being of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender, nonbinary, immigrant and HIV communities to the betterment of the entire San Diego region. Its vision is that every person feels and knows they are welcomed, valued and supported. From its building at 3909 Centre Street, The Center is the anchor organization for San Diego's LGBTQ+ community, promoting health, wellness and human rights.

The story began in 1971, when a planning committee set up an answering machine in a borrowed closet as a lifeline for people who had nowhere to turn. The Center for Social Services was incorporated in 1973, became the Lesbian and Gay Men's Community Center in 1980, and opened the Hillcrest Youth Center in 2000. Today it counts more than 100,000 direct service visits each year.

Behavioral Health Services provides individual, couples, family and group counseling, including same-gender relationship violence treatment, gender-affirming care for trans and nonbinary people, and support for victims of crime and hate incidents. Fees are on a sliding scale, and people living with HIV and victims of crime may qualify for no-cost counseling. The Sexual Health and Wellness program, #BeTheGeneration, grew from a 2014 campaign to end new HIV transmissions in San Diego and now offers HIV and STI screening, PrEP and PEP navigation, and links to treatment through partnerships with Family Health Centers of San Diego, UC San Diego and other providers. Crisis Services offers walk-in, phone and ongoing support with housing and food needs, Covered California enrollment and referrals.

Community programs are built around the people they serve. Black Services launched in 2021 with groups like Shades of Color and a Black Trans and Nonbinary Community Group. Nicole Murray-Ramirez Latin@x Services has offered culturally and linguistically appropriate support since 2004. Project TRANS offers referrals, assistance, networking and services for transgender and nonbinary people, with groups for trans femmes, trans masculine people and those exploring gender identity. Women's Services, Family Services and its Families Network, and the 50+ and Better Together senior program (with Senior Drop-In, Game Day, Lunch and Learn, congregate meals and a senior food bank) round out the picture. ASL interpretation is available for support groups on request.

Young people have two homes at The Center: the Hillcrest Youth Center, San Diego County's first LGBTQ+ drop-in and recreational center, and the South Bay Youth Center in Chula Vista, established in 2019. The housing continuum includes Sunburst Youth Housing Project for youth 18 to 24, the 43-bed Safe STAY Wellness Center, Karibu permanent supportive housing, rental assistance and homelessness prevention, and case management at North Park Senior Apartments. Project Compassion offers supportive resources to people experiencing homelessness on Thursdays.

To get help, call the Welcome Desk at (619) 692-2077 or visit Monday through Friday. To get involved, apply to volunteer (new volunteers attend a quarterly orientation), join a Community Advisory Committee, dine out for Dining Out For Life, attend the LGBTQ+ Luminaries Lunch or donate.