WHAT IS GAY & SOBER:
Gay & Sober is a one-of-a-kind 501c3 non-profit organization that empowers LGBTQ community members to lead healthy, successful lives. We proudly celebrate our community’s diversity and advocate for those that are new to the journey of sobriety. Our organization facilitates connection to those new to sobriety and to those well into their sobriety.
HOW DO WE DO THIS:
- We produce an annual health and wellness conference that celebrates recovery.
People from all over the United States and around the world make the pilgrimage to New York to celebrate their sobriety during pride weekend.
- We provide a curated list of LGBTQ 12 step meetings around the world
- We have expanded our community events to underserved communities in Tennessee, Philadelphia, Amsterdam and London is in the works. - We offer 24/7 chat support, 365 days a year to provide resources like LGBTQ affirming treatment centers, 12 step programs, and online community.
- We have a presence on social media on all platforms and collectively, our private support communities on Facebook have over 20k group members.
WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE:
- We find that one of the obstacles to people getting sober is the dilemma of "how will I ever have fun again?". So everything we do, we do with this in mind. All of our workshops and programing speak to a return to healthy and fun living. All of our social events like dances and parties have a
high-production value with sound and lighting that feels like we've brought the party to our participants.
- We promote an integrated approach to recovery and recognize that there are many paths to sobriety.
- What also sets us apart is that the organization is operated solely by unpaid and passionate volunteers.
WHO HAS BEEN A PART OF WHAT WE DO:
- 80% of our attendees come from a 12-step recovery background. 10% identify as "sober lifestyle" and 10% are allies and loved ones.
- Past Keynote Speakers have been: Author of The Velvet Rage, Dr. Alan Downs, Democratic Presidential Candidate and Author, Marianne Williamson, Fashion Designer Marc Jacobs and Authors Byron Katie and Dr. Ken Page.
- Past entertainers have been Cyndi Lauper, Fortune Feimster, Sandra Bernhard, Bianca Del Rio and Matteo Lane.
WHAT IS OUR IMPACT:
- The people that attend our events from large cities report a greater sense of support, and feel engaged and plugged into community.
- The people that comes to our events from small places, return home and have created community groups in their local regions.
We call this the "GSM ripple effect".
- Thanks in part to our participants making better choices and getting educated, the rate of relapse is reduced and HIV infection rates are in decline.
OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE:
- We have over 10k organic followers on Instagram.
- We have over 13K followers on Facebook.
- We currently have 13,300 group member in our online community groups.