LGBT Network

The LGBT Network is the flagship regional community organization dedicated to serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals, families, and allies throughout Long Island and Queens. Founded in 1993 by grassroots community organizers who launched Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth (LIGALY) in response to the severe isolation faced by suburban queer youth, the agency has evolved over more than three decades into a comprehensive regional institution operating four modern community center facilities located in Hauppauge, Bay Shore, Sag Harbor, and Astoria, Queens.

The organization’s youth development division continues to serve as an international model for suburban and regional youth empowerment. Operating after-school drop-in lounges at all network facilities, the organization provides middle and high school students with safe social environments equipped with computers, homework assistance, hot snacks, and youth-led discussion groups. The network’s Safe Schools Initiative partners with school districts across Nassau and Suffolk counties to deliver anti-bullying assemblies, educator professional development, and technical support for student Gender and Sexuality Alliances, creating safer educational environments for thousands of students each academic year.

To address the critical needs of aging LGBTQ+ adults, the organization created a specialized older adult services division. The agency provides weekly senior social luncheons, memory cafes, wellness workshops, and personalized case management that help elders age with dignity. Recognizing severe housing vulnerabilities among LGBTQ+ seniors, the LGBT Network spearheaded the development of Long Island’s first affordable, LGBT-affirming senior housing facility in Bay Shore, providing permanently affordable homes alongside on-site supportive services.

Clinical health navigation and preventative wellness are integrated across all community centers. The network provides free, confidential rapid HIV, hepatitis C, and sexually transmitted infection testing, alongside comprehensive pre-exposure prophylaxis navigation, safer sex supply distribution, and linkage to affirming medical care. In addition, the organization serves as the official producer of Long Island Pride, the region’s largest annual LGBTQ+ celebration, which features a massive parade, live festival stages, and community resource fairs in downtown Huntington.

Workforce readiness, transgender support groups, and family education initiatives further expand the organization's community footprint. Transgender and gender-nonconforming community members access specialized support circles, legal name and gender marker change clinics, and employment networking sessions. Families of LGBTQ+ youth participate in monthly caregiver circles that build understanding, resilience, and family acceptance across local communities.

Community members can access direct services, testing, and youth programs by visiting any of the network's centers in Hauppauge, Bay Shore, Sag Harbor, or Queens during open weekday and evening hours. Multipurpose meeting rooms are also available for community gatherings and support groups. Community members and allies can support the organization's mission by volunteering as center hosts, joining Pride planning committees, or making tax-deductible financial contributions to fund essential community services across Long Island and Queens.