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One of our most critical and literally life-saving sister organizations in the Bay Area needs our help. Lyon-Martin Health Services has been providing compassionate and respectful health care to women and transgender people for over 30 years. This important community organization, named in honor of founding mothers Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, is often the only health care option for the most marginalized in our community. Almost 85 percent of Lyon-Martin patients live below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Almost half are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender identified, 33 percent are people of color, and 17 percent are homeless.
Over the last few weeks, our community has stepped up and given and raised over $250,000 for Lyon-Martin. Lyon-Martin has a new interim executive director and key pro bono consultants who are helping its very talented medical staff put in place the measures and protocols needed to turn around their financial situation, and put the organization on a path to stability. The interim executive director and team of certified personal accountants are now reviewing the initial assessments, evaluating the organization’s systems and financial viability, and will present the board with a new business plan to move forward.
Many of the people who Lyon-Martin provides care for are our friends, our family members, and our loved ones. And despite the state of our economy, we can’t turn our backs if we can help. Sandy and I will be making a gift to Lyon-Martin of $500. We encourage you to match us if you can. Please give more if you can. Please give any amount you can.
Your gift will help Lyon-Martin clear its books, retire its debt, and once again focus all resources on serving its clients—men and women from our community who need these services. And if you prefer to dedicate your gift to direct care, please indicate that you’d like your gift to be for "clinic services."
With a caring community we can turn this situation around and ensure that those in most need have basic health care.
For more information or to make a donation, please visit the Lyon-Martin website at www.Lyon-Martin.org or the community response site at www.SaveLyonMartin.org.
Thank you,
Kate Kendell, Esq.
Executive Director
National Center for Lesbian Rights
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