- The Windsor Essex Trans Support, an organization promoting transgender rights, established the first standalone transgender support center in Ontario.
- The grand opening of the institution happened last month according to Jayce Carver, Executive Director of Windsor Essex Trans Support.
- Those would seek support from the center can expect would be clothes, an item that’s important for those who are transitioning, food, a peer support group managed by transgender people, and a monthly social activity.
A transgender support center rises up in Ontario with the goal of making a difference in the community.
In a transgender news article by CBC news posted last May 2, the Windsor Essex Trans Support, an organization promoting transgender rights, established the first standalone transgender support center in Ontario.
Grand opening
The grand opening of the institution happened last month month according to Jayce Carver, Executive Director of Windsor Essex Trans Support. Formerly working out of her car in helping transgender people by providing them support, Carver said that it was a sign that the members of the transgender community were making progress towards visibility.
“I think our community is saying that they’re ready to be visible, that they’re tired of being in the shadows,” Carver said
Those would seek support from the center can expect would be clothes, an item that’s important for those who are transitioning, food, a peer support group managed by transgender people, and a monthly social activity.
Other services would include helping them with their documents, seeking safe shelter and giving aid in support of transition.
The center would be located with easy access to hospital, transitional stability center, Windsor pride office, and other LGBT organizations.
“Sometimes trans identified people don’t feel comfortable accessing those services independently so with having somewhere here full time we can assist them,” Carver said.
Funding
Carver explained that while before there were only about ten people who would attend meetings, there were now seeing attendance of 40 to 50 people.
The center, although not yet supported by government funding, is currently supported by the Windsor Windsor Pride Festival Trillium grant, private funding partners and public donations. Carver explained that it would cost $40 a day to keep the center operating.
“There is really no government funding right now, we’re not eligible until a year of incorporation which is coming up,” Carver shared. “I don’t think $40 is too much to bring people out of isolation and bring the suicide rates down. The majority is volunteer because we don’t have the funding to pay staff.”
Other advocates have hailed the establishment of the center, including David Lenz of Windsor Pride Fest.
Calling it a revolutionary, Lenz said, “They’re doing amazing work in the community and now with their new centre open it’s just going to expand even more. It just shows that we are making a huge difference in this community.”
Lentz also said that the center was the end result of many LGBT groups working together and the next step would be to improve the needs of the members of the LGBT community.
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