QT Core Member Fund

Hello friends,

Queertopia has existed for 5 years (the first year under our sibling org LPA). This marks 5 years of being one of the most trusted organizations amongst the unhoused community in Austin, TX. 5 years of being some of the most effective caseworkers in ATX. 5 years of staying true to prioritizing Black & Brown Austinites- with this demographic being 95% of our community/ "clients*" (*not including eviction specific assistance at CFV).

Queertopia has spent 5 years prioritizing LGBTQ+ Austinites. 4 years operating the only dedicated shelter for LGBTQ+ Austinites- with a prioritization on Black & Indigenous trans folks & sex workers of color. 53 people stayed throughout this time, without any time limitations. Some only needed 1 night, some needed 1 year. 94% of shelter residents moved directly into either housing or another shelter to housing program with case management (where they could live until getting housing). Queertopia has spent 4 years making sure Black & Brown FSSWers are first in line for any job opportunities or mutual aid we can scrounge up.

Queertopia has spent 5 years as the organization Black elders tell their friends to call. 4 years as the "angels" of St. John's. We remain there because St. John's is a historically Black, heavily gentrified, heavily closeted and high risk neighborhood, and it is irresponsible to expand our efforts to the entire city while having a 200+ caseload. We have been declined grants to be able to pay staff because our outreach is mainly focused in St. John's instead of the whole city- despite taking referrals from throughout the city. This shows us the surface level understanding many grantors have about queer homelessness, anti-racism, and burnout culture. EVERYONE is over capacity, with no accountability protocols enforced against organizations who are being awarded millions in city funding exploiting the unhoused community while underpaying their staff.

In all of this time- Queertopia has never been able to stably pay anyone. We have had short time periods with just enough to provide part time contract work- but nothing sustainable. Our funding goes almost entirely into programming / resources. We have prided ourselves on making sure that all of our core members are off the streets. Whether it be at QT Main, another shelter, their own housing- we are not operating an org for unhoused queer Austinites without making sure the members of this group are off the streets. It is our bare minimum.

We are so thankful for the donations of material items we receive- but members are in debt, risking incarceration or worse to pay bills, and surviving on SNAP, MAP, and food pantries- all while we are still steadily receiving personal requests for help & more referrals from organizations who know the position we are in. We are trying our best, but our best is never enough.

In this project's current state, Queertopia receives about $1700 monthly after fees. (Real talk, this number needs to increase to like $70k monthly- ask your fave local celeb to cut a check to avoid platform fees). It is pathetic and embarrassing that we have not even been seen as worth this much in a city that prides itself on being one of the top cities to live in if you are LGBTQ+, but here we are, still begging for scraps and getting dust. 

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All current money from this Open Collective Fund is going towards housing support to keep our members from falling back into homelessness. This does not include the contract work we pay folks at St. John's when helping with tasks/ projects.

1) $500 Harm Reduction Outreach Worker
2) $1000 Case manager/ Outreach worker/ Admin
3) $700 St John's Case Manager
4) $1200 Outreach Worker

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ALL RECURRING $10+ MONTHLY CONTRIBUTORS WILL RECEIVE A 2" RAINBOW BUS BUTTON (your choice of "homelessness is not a crime" or "protect trans community")
YOU must email [email protected] to set up a pickup location or delivery (in person or postal). Open Collective does not provide Collectives with Contributor Information.

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Please read our update to learn why this project was transitioned from the St. John's Rent Fund to a Core Member Pay fund, including accomplishments/ financial transparency.
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Please give us patience with the "today's balance"/ "expenses" section. They are not accurate.