SAGE, the world’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ seniors, launched SAGEConnect Friday (April 3) as a way to connect LGBTQ elders with volunteer community members and allies.
Because of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, social isolation has become more common. To combat this, SAGEConnect will link LGBTQ elders with their broader community, reducing isolation and promoting well-being.
SAGEConnect will administer a 15-minute call, once a week, for the next six weeks to bring people together and lift each other up. SAGE’s volunteers will not only offer a social connection with LGBTQ seniors but can also direct them to other resources like SAGE’s National LGBTQ Elder Hotline or its National Resource Center on LGBTQ Aging.
“LGBTQ older Americans are quite literally at the epicenter of this pandemic, which is why it is so important for us to offer a program like SAGEConect that gives them an opportunity to stay engaged with the broader community and get the resources they need,” said SAGE CEO Michael Adams. “Out LGBTQ community has stepped up to care for and support one another in times of crisis before. And we must do that once again—our community and allies need to once again exhibit the fierce leadership that our LGBTQ pioneers have showed up for years.”
To register—either as an elder or a volunteer—visit sageusa.org/sageconnect/ and fill out the registration, where you will be asked for contact information and availability.