Fort Lauderdale, Florida – June 4, 2009 – Pride South Florida, Inc., the 501 © 3 non-profit organization run by unpaid volunteers that supports a variety of groups who work to promote charitable activities, educational programs, and cultural arts for the GLBT community, is delighted to announce their 2008 Grant Award recipients.

Pride South Florida (PSF) produces the annual “Pridefest”, a week-long celebration and tribute to the GLBT community, held each year at Fort Lauderdale’s Holiday Park and War Memorial. The monies generated from Pridefest serve as the primary income producer for various Grant Programs and public benefit opportunities bestowed throughout the year. 100% of the proceeds from Pridefest are distributed via this Grant Program each spring.

As a result of this year’s successful “Pride Under the Sun” festival, twenty-two (22) qualifying grant requests/proposals were submitted to PSF. After careful consideration and an equitable election process, its Board of Directors selected fifteen groups for funding for over $37,000. The organizations, awarded dollar amounts, and their grant’s missions are listed below.

2008 Pride Grants

1- Flamingo Freedom Band - $2,500 - To support the South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble Fall Concert entitled “Song and Dance”.

2- Paladin Athletic Organization - $2,500 – To provide, educational, social and civic services to the GLBT community through athletic and informational endeavors.

3- Arts United - $2,500 – Sponsorship for Art Explosion 2009.

4- Tuesday’s Angels - $2,500 – To provide emergency assistance in the form of eyeglasses to financially needy people with HIV/AIDS.

5- The Povorello Center, Inc. - $2,500 – To provide accurate and sensitive nutritional information and boxes of food to HIV+ GLBT persons in Broward County.

6- Transgender Equality Rights Initiatives (TERI) - $2,500 – To provide educational, social support and outreach.

7- SunServe - $2,500 – To develop, and implement programs and services designed by and for the Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender community through SunServe’s “Women 4 Women” program.

8- Stonewall Library & Archives - $2,500 – To support the “Out of the Shadows” exhibition at the Broward County Main Library.

9- The Pet Project - $2,500 – To allow people who are terminally ill or permanently disabled to keep and care for their companion animals when the financial hardships inevitably arrive after the loss of ones ability to work.

10- American Veteran’s for Equal Rights (AVER) - $2,500 – To provide funding for the 2009 AVER National Convention.

11- Nova Southeastern University Gay and Lesbian Medical Association - $2,500 – To address the social stigmatization and subsequent health barriers to the LGBT population in the health setting.

12- The Names Project South Florida (The Aids Memorial Quilt) - $2,500 – To preserve, care, and use the AIDS Memorial Quilt to foster healing, heighten awareness, and inspire in the struggle against HIV and AIDS.

13- Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus - $2,500 – To assist with four concert series during the upcoming season.

14- KP Productions - $2,500 – To continue the outreach program providing live musical entertainment to the GLBT community and seniors in our community.

15- Southeastern Regional Gay Men’s Health Summit - $2,430 – To provide registration scholarships to 18 individuals from Broward and Miami-Dade Counties to the health summit.