Charity Partner

Updated June 23, 2015

Gay City Health Project

Gay City Health Project

Gay City Health Project is a multicultural gay men’s health organization and the leading provider of HIV and STI testing in King County.  Our mission is to promote wellness in LGBT communities by providing health services, connecting people to resources, fostering arts, and building community.

It’s been nearly 20 years since Gay City was founded as a gay men’s health organization with the tagline: “Building a Community Stronger than HIV.”  We started with community conversations and health-based programming for gay and bi men, eventually launching our HIV and STD testing services in 2004.  Over time, our programming has becoming increasingly broad based and dynamic.  Thanks to your support, we have expanded to serve and promote the overall health of all individuals and families within Seattle and King County’s LGBT communities.  In order to continue meeting the emerging needs of our community, we need your continued support.

When we launched our Wellness Center 10 years ago, it was a significant moment of change in the response to the HIV epidemic.  Gay City led a new era of HIV prevention in our region by providing community-based access to free HIV testing and STD screening.  Since then, local progress has been astounding.  According to Public Health – Seattle & King County’s HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Report for the first half of 2013, 92% of people living with HIV in our region are aware that they carry the virus.  Of those, 76% are virally suppressed, meaning that they are engaged in treatment sufficient to bring their viral load to undetectable levels, making it nearly impossible for them to transmit the virus to others.  These numbers are truly remarkable, the best of any city in the United States and possibly the world.

Since our expansion nearly 2 years ago, our facilities are a popular and useful gathering space for the community.  Gay City’s LGBT Resource & Referral center, housed in the Michael C. Weidemann LGBT Library, serves hundreds of people every month with our dedicated internet terminals and trained resource volunteers.  And, rarely does a week go by without a variety of community groups and events using our space.  We’ve hosted more than 120 community meetings and events this year in our Calamus Auditorium and Michael Henson Conference room.

For more information, visit the Gay City Health Project.

Gay City was the charity partner for the first two Emerald City Hoedown’s.  We are happy to welcome them back.

Gay City volunteers will staff portions of the weekend events and will produce a Silent Auction on Saturday night.  Proceeds from segments such as the silent auction and coat check will go directly to the charities, plus a split of other event proceeds will benefit the organization.

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Got Questions?  E-mail info@emeraldcityhoedown.com