Thanks for a great 2009! Help us ensure a better 2010!

December 29th, 2009 . Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
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Dear Center Patron,
Thank you for being part of the One Voice family in 2009. We are proud of our many accomplishments and hope you will take time to reflect on the great things we’ve achieved and join us in our excitement of great things to come! Finally, please join us in financially ensuring 2010 is another year of successes.

Warmest wishes this Holiday season!

One Voice Community Center

2009 – a year of achievement
• As most of you know, we opened in our very own space on September 4th. Since then we’ve been warmly embraced by the community who had gone too long without a permanent, staffed LGBT Center.
• Since our opening, we’ve expanded our programs and services and now welcome 300 to 400 people a week to the Center. Whether for information or referrals, to participate in one of our growing programs or services, or as part of an external group utilizing the Center, your LGBT community center is being highly utilized by people of all walks of life and from every corner of the Valley.
• Each week we see real examples of how people’s lives have been enriched by the presence of a Center but have also come to realize that there are many unmet needs in the community.

2010 – a year of exciting opportunity
• As 2010 begins, we plan to start the year with a 40% increase in the number of hours we are open! Monday through Friday Noon to 9pm and Saturday 9am to 2pm. This means we will be here 6 days a week to better serve the needs of our community.
• Soon we will be sending out a Community Survey to gauge needs related to suicide and substance abuse prevention which will be used in the groundbreaking research we are working on with the Maricopa LGBT Consortium in the development of a Strategic Prevention Framework related to these issues in the LGBT community of Maricopa County.
• We’ll be rolling out our Anti Violence Project Hotline in the first quarter as well as officially opening the BJ Bud Memorial Library for public circulation.
• The rebirth of our Speakers Bureau, Link – LGBT Non Profit Networking, and our Community Resource and Referral Center, named in memory of Michele de LaFreniere, are all exciting things to look forward to early in the year.
• One Voice will celebrate it’s 5th Anniversary in April and we are anxiously planning the celebration of what has been accomplished organizationally since then.
• Our existing programs continue to flourish and grow and new one’s are on the horizon! We’ve got a lot of catching up to do and we’re committed to making up for lost time in 2010.
• Lastly, we realize that you all would like to see more concise, frequent and helpful information about what’s going on at One Voice, so we will begin a sending a regular “One Voice Happenings” emails starting the first of the year.

We’re very excited about these opportunities to better serve our community and hope you are too!

Lastly, We need your help!
One Voice exists solely FOR the community and our continued operations require ongoing financial support FROM the community. In order to remain viable and to meet the many needs within the community it will take $10-15,000 per month for us to provide our existing services and those planned for the future.

We are asking for your financial support in order to help us help the community in 2010. Any financial gift is appreciated and needed. Whether one time or recurring, we hope you will support your LGBT Community Center in working to meet the needs in our
community.

If we could simply get 100 individual commitments to give $100 per month, a majority of our needs would be met. This is a very realistic goal as similar sized cities have this level of support many times over. We realize not everyone can afford to give $100 per month, so we’ve created a monthly giving program that allows you to make recurring donations starting at $25 per month. If you’re unable to commit to a monthly gift, please consider a one time gift of any amount. No gift is too small and every dollar makes a difference here in your community.

To give, please go to http://1vcc.org/downloads/pledge_sheet.pdf to print, complete and return your commitment of support for One Voice.

Thank you for your consideration and ongoing support!

One Voice LGBT Community Center Opens its Doors and Announces Annual Gala

September 20th, 2009 . Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

One Voice Community Center is pleased to announce that it has opened for service to the community in its new location at 725 W Indian School Road.  Hours of operation will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 12pm to 9pm and Saturday 9am to 2pm.  One Voice celebrated its opening with an open house on Friday September 4, 2009 that drew a crowd of over 400 people to help celebrate the fact that Phoenix is no longer the largest city in the US without an LGBT Community Center. A ceremonial ribbon cutting with elected officials and the media was held on Friday September 11th at 8:30am at the Center with nearly 100 in attendance.

One Voice is also pleased to announce that forward: the 2009 One Voice Gala and Fashion Show will be held on Saturday October 24th at the Arizona Biltmore. The One Voice LGBT Community Center is currently seeking sponsors, table hosts, silent auction donations and fashionistas for the annual event, which serves as THE major event fundraiser for the organization.

Highlighted by the history and glamour of the Gold Room at the Arizona Biltmore, the evening begins with a pre-performance VIP Reception with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on the terrace. VIP guests receive early access to the silent auction, as well as runway-side seating and other exclusive benefits. Performance-only tickets are also available for limited seating views of the fashion and dance showcase featuring Jennyvi Dizon Couture and Aaron McGloin Dance.

Impressive sponsorship opportunities exist for this gala evening that will include exposure and advertising to thousands of Valley residents. Please visit 1vcc.org to learn about us and email mitchell_h@1vcc.org for more information and to obtain a Sponsorship Packet

One Voice Community Center serves as a cultural focal point uniting LGBT individuals & organizations and reinvests in the community by providing vital educational, social, and wellness programs. Established in 2005, the 1VCC vision is to help to create a strong community of LGBT individuals living without fear, shame, or isolation.

ONE VOICE LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER MOVING TO NEW HOME!

July 10th, 2009 . Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Center to open in new, permanent location in September 2009

The Board of Directors of One Voice LGBT Community Center is pleased to announce that it has finalized a lease to obtain space for the Center’s operations at 725 West Indian School Road, Suite 125, Phoenix, AZ 85013. The landlord, Davis Enterprises, has begun improvements and expects One Voice to take possession by August 1, 2009. One Voice then plans to begin tenant improvements and celebrate the Grand Opening of the Center in conjunction with Phoenix First Friday, scheduled for September 4th 2009. The 2,100 square foot location will enable One Voice to expand it programs and services to the LGBT community in a permanent location with regular hours and will be open to the public.

“Phoenix is the largest city in the United States without a permanent, staffed LGBT Community Center.” said Rocco Menaguale, Co-Founder and Board Chair of One Voice. “The move will enable One Voice to provide enhanced programs and services to the LGBT community and we hope it will become a hub for educational, social and wellness programs for LGBT persons and organizations in the Greater Phoenix area from a centrally located facility.”

“One Voice has operated “virtually” and in shared or donated space since it’s formation in 2005.” said Jeff Gish, Managing Director of One Voice. “The new, permanent location will enable us to serve a variety of needs that have been identified in the past several years for the LGBT community. We’ve got a lot of work to do to ensure this endeavor is successful and sustaining into the future and will be looking to the community for its support. We hope to begin our “I am 1” fundraising campaign in the coming weeks.”

Some of the Center’s plans include:
• BJ Bud Memorial Library
• Comprehensive LGBT Community Resource & Referral Center
• One Voice Communiversity Classes
• Meeting / Event space for LGBT organizations and Center members
• One Voice LGBT Community Switchboard and Anti Violence Helpline
• WiFi access and CyberCenter
• LGBT Artist’s Gallery

To volunteer with preparing the Center for its Grand Opening or to volunteer with programs and services into the future, please email Jason Posey, Volunteer & Outreach Committee Chair at Jason_p@1vcc.org. To discuss how you may be able to assist One Voice with financial or in kind donations, please email Jeff Gish, Managing Director at jeff_g@1vcc.org.

ONE VOICE LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER NAMES MANAGING DIRECTOR

July 10th, 2009 . Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

The Board of Directors of One Voice LGBT Community Center is pleased to announce that it has named Jeff Gish its Managing Director effective June 8, 2009. In this newly created role, Gish will oversee and manage the expansion of the Center’s programs and services as it moves to a new home later this year and into the future.

“We are very excited to have Jeff join One Voice as our first staff member and as part of our continued expansion of the Center,” said Rocco Menaguale, Co-Founder and Co-Chair of One Voice. “His management background, combined with his extensive community relations and philanthropy experience, are a welcome addition to the organization. His addition enables further development of One Voice as the organization works to provide enhanced services and support for the Phoenix area LGBT community”.

“I am very excited about joining this great organization,” said Gish. “One Voice has the opportunity to help Phoenix become an even better place for LGBT persons. Phoenix needs a strong and active LGBT community center to support individuals and organizations, and I am honored to be a part of One Voice’s future developments.”

Before joining One Voice, Gish served as Senior Vice President / Community Relations Executive for Wachovia Corporation and has nearly 20 years of management and community relations experience. He holds a Bachelors degree in Business Administration from Murray State University (KY) and has completed Boston College’s Program on Community Involvement and Harvard School of Law’s Program on Negotiation. In support of the organization and the LGBT community, Gish will be donating his time and efforts through September 1, 2009.

Phoenix is the largest city in the United States without a permanent, staffed LGBT Community Center. The One Voice Board is taking bold steps to relocate to a permanent location later this year and will offer expanded programs and services to support the area’s LGBT individuals and organizations.