Chamber Will Host Holiday Food Drive to Support LGBTQ+ Seniors

Chamber Will Host Holiday Food Drive to Support LGBTQ+ Seniors 

“Together we can beat hunger for LGBTQ+ Seniors.”

By Tammi Wallace. Co-Founder, President & CEO

  Every year the Chamber and its Foundation hosts a holiday celebration but last year was different. Facing the pandemic, with in-person events shut down, the Chamber opted to look beyond our “four walls” to give back to the community. Recognizing that LGBTQ+ seniors in need, who already face significant food insecurity, have been dramatically impacted by the pandemic, we launched a Holiday Food Drive. The Chamber Holiday Food Drive was launched, supporting Chamber Member, the Montrose Center, with the goal of filling up holiday boxes for LGBTQ+ seniors so they would have food on the table during the holidays.

Last year, the Chamber Holiday Food Drive raised the largest amount of food and funds that the Montrose Center has ever received in its history. Through the generosity of hundreds of food and virtual donations, the Montrose Center was able to increase the number of Holiday Boxes for LGBTQ+ seniors, fill up multiple pantries, and had needed food when the Winter storm hit earlier this year.

The Chamber is once again hosting the Chamber Holiday Food Drive because the need is great to make sure LGBTQ+ seniors have food on the table during the pandemic and especially during the holidays. For the Chamber, the Holiday Food Drive is about community and giving back during the holiday season. The Chamber is using its resources to bring together businesses and community to support LGBTQ+ seniors this holiday season. The food will be donated to Chamber Member, the Montrose Center, to support their holiday boxes for LGBTQ+ seniors.

The holidays are tough for many LGBTQ+ seniors because the holiday season is a time people gather around festive meals to celebrate and give thanks with family and friends, but for many LGBTQ+ community members, this season can be difficult, both emotionally and financially. With twice as many LGBTQ+ people aging alone, in relation to their heterosexual and cisgender peers, seniors experiencing food insecurity face the difficult task of providing a holiday meal while still making sure they have enough groceries for the week.

 “It's incomprehensible that so many of our LGBTQ+ Seniors, who have paved the way for the LGBTQ+ community, will not have food on their tables during the holidays. Yet, this is a problem that is happening in our own backyard because so many LGBTQ+ seniors in our community face food insecurity. We must step up to support them. If we don't as a community, who will? Together, as a community, we can make a difference. The Chamber is looking beyond our "four walls" and giving back, and we are asking the community for your help in supporting the food drive so we can lift up LGBTQ+ Seniors this holiday season.” – Tammi Wallace, Co-Founder, President & CEO

Help us make a difference for LGBTQ+ seniors! The Chamber Holiday Food Drive will be held on Friday, December 10, 2021, with two drop-off locations (morning and afternoon). Anchor Sponsors for the Food Drive are Eureka Heights Brewery and SignatureCare ER. The Food Drive, supported by many sponsors, community partners and media partners, is an opportunity to give back to LGBTQ+ Seniors who have given so much to the community.

Details about the Chamber Holiday Food Drive can be viewed at http://www.chamberholidayfooddrive.lgbt/.

“Continuing the tradition of filling holiday food boxes this year for LGBTQ+ seniors would not be possible without the support of organizations like the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce and the Foundation, said Kennedy Loftin, Chief Development Officer, the Montrose Center. “All of us here at the Montrose Center are truly honored that the Chamber has chosen to host, for the second year, a Holiday Food Drive to supply essential items for our annual Holiday Meals distribution.”

Come out on December 10th and help us make a difference for LGBTQ+ seniors in need!  For those unable to drop off food on the day of the food drive, you can donate via the Virtual Food Drive at https://bit.ly/2021VirtualFoodDrive.

A huge thank you to our Chamber Holiday Food Drive Sponsors, Community Partners and Media Partners for stepping up to help us turn the table on hunger for LGBTQ+ seniors this holiday season.

Together we can beat hunger for LGBTQ+ seniors.

Anchor Sponsors

Giving Back Sponsors

Pay It Forward Sponsors

Helping Hand Sponsor

Media Partners

Community Partners
Houston Tennis Club
	Prairie View A&M Spectrum