The MoCo LGBTQ Youth Forum announced today a first-ever fundraising campaign for this year's MoCo Pride Prom in Montgomery County, Maryland, held on Saturday, May 11, 2019. Now in its fourth year, the MoCo Pride Prom committee promises this year to be the best one yet, and the MoCo LGBTQ Youth Forum, founded by Janine Rauscher and co-chair of the MoCo Pride Prom committee, is leading the charge to garner more community involvement with raising funds compared to years past. Today, a fundraising page launched for individuals to donate money directly toward this year's prom taking place in five weeks.
The committee asks community members to share this fundraising page with the friends and neighbors to help raise awareness of supporting this great cause. Donations are accepted for any amount, but individuals who donate at least $100 toward the MoCo Pride Prom will be listed as a Pink Level Sponsor online and in relevant collateral created.
The MoCo Pride Prom first started in 2016 with modest beginnings but big intentions. Rauscher created the event because the youth in Montgomery County needed an alternative to the typical proms held by the high schools in the county. These types of proms were being held in Northern Virginia and also in Baltimore, but nothing near Montgomery County. Her child at the time attended one of the local high schools and was an inspiration for making the Pride Prom come to life. Now, MoCo Pride Prom is an event that allows youth in MoCo to attend a prom with pride, dress however they are most comfortable, and dance - without fear - with whomever they choose. "We started this event on a shoestring budget, with most of the financial support coming from a small few, even my own," says Rauscher, "but I believed in what we were doing and knew we just needed to get it up and running and then others would join in support."
Leveraging her relationship with the supportive church congregation at Rockville United Church, the first Pride Prom was held in the church's multipurpose room and hosted 25 youth from the county. This year, the Pride Prom committee is seeking to raise at least $7,500 to support an even bigger and better Pride Prom and targets hosting a minimum 100 youth from the area. "This year we have the opportunity to host the Prom at an actual event venue, elevating the actual prom experience for these kids," says Brad Benton, co-chair of the MoCo Pride Prom committee and Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors for the MoCo Pride Center, "and when we raise these funds, every dollar will go into providing an extraordinary night."
The Pride Prom committee is dedicated to making the Pride Prom accessible to all youth in the county by removing a high cost barrier for tickets. Admission tickets for the event have always been $20, and even with the prom this year being elevated in its experience, the committee is dedicated in keeping the student costs low. "We'll be providing a great venue, an elevated food and beverage experience, a DJ, and even offering shuttle service to and from the venue for those in need for the first time," says Rauscher, "and even though our cost-per-head is dramatically increasing, we are not raising ticket prices for the kids. This is where the committee is relying on the residents of Montgomery County to help make this happen. Please donate what you can, and on behalf of the 2019 MoCo Pride Prom committee, we thank you in advance for your generosity and financial support."
Those interested in finding out more about MoCo Pride Prom and submitting a donation can find more information at www.mocopridecenter.org/prideprom
About MoCo LGBTQ Youth Forum
The MoCo LGBTQ Youth Forum started in 2014 by the parents of a teen in order to create a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth in Montgomery County, Maryland. Since then, the MoCo LGBTQ Youth Forum hosts social and educational events throughout the year, including monthly open mic coffeehouses.
In 2019, MoCo LGBTQ Youth Forum was incorporated as an official youth program under the MoCo Pride Center, a 501(c)(3) that works to build, support, and advocate for a stronger and more diverse LGBTQ community in Montgomery County, Maryland.
View our website and follow us on social media at @MoCoLGBTQYouth or email us at lgbtq.youth.forum@gmail.com
About MoCo Pride Center Established in 2017, the MoCo Pride Center is a 501(c)(3) organization designed to serve the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer) community and its allies in Montgomery County, Maryland. We strive to be the leading organization for LGBTQ resources and advocacy in our county. Our mission is to organize, support, educate, and provide outreach to the LGBTQ community and its allies.
The MoCo Pride Center will be built to:
Promote dignity and respect for all individuals;
Encourage authenticity and honesty in self-expression;
Connect community members and create a network of support for youth, adults, and families;
Organize and engage the LGBTQ community and our allies to build a movement to advance the rights, dignity and respect of all members of our community
Follow us on social media at @mocopridecenter For questions or comments, please email hello@mocopridecenter.org