Programs: The goals of our programs are to improve health and well being, reduce isolation, and increase the social integration of our LGBT community into the larger community. Our current list of programs includes: - Youth Programs ? The DeFrank Center?s youth programs have reached over 500 students, teachers, administrators, counselors and social workers through homophobia workshops, sensitivity trainings, and speakers? panels at high schools, colleges, and local organizations throughout Santa Clara County. For the youth in our program, we have held workshops on substance abuse, gay parenting, gay adoption, transgender issues, leadership and empowerment. We have re-started the Youth Advisory Council, a group of youth and adults that meets monthly to plan and organize youth events and help improve youth programming. The quarterly youth dances continue to be a success. The winter dance brought in over 160 youth, and the Valentine?s Dance brought in over 210. Participation in youth groups is on the rise, with as many as 25 youth attending the shOUT advocacy group and Not Quite There group. The 20somethings group routinely brings in more than 20 attendees a meeting. - Adult Services - Adult programming has dramatically expanded in the past few years, and these past six months is no exception. Our stellar programming has brought in over 1,300 people with events such as bowling night, speed dating, kayak trips, pancake breakfasts, summer barbeques, laser tag and an international sailing trip to the British Virgin Islands. All of these activities originate from the DeFrank Center and the many volunteers that staff our pancake, dinner, movie, and social committees. We also continue to provide an outstanding array support services such as men?s and women support groups, transgender support groups, coming out groups and Family supports. - Workshops ? The DeFrank Center continues to build on the number and type of workshops being offered. In the past three years, we have increased the number of organized workshops from one each quarter to twelve each quarter, a 1200% increase. Several of the workshops over the past six months have been New Homebuyers, how to sell your home, all-level yoga, trapeze lessons, LGBT adoption classes, legal and ethical issues for LGBT clients. - Seniors Program - The Vintage Lunch program has seen a steady increase in participants averaging about thirty or more members with at least one new person joining each week. This is a direct result of a program improvement survey completed by the Vintage group and the higher quality of the lunches offered each week. The Vintage program has a matinee movie outing each month. In December 2005, the Vintage program hosted a dessert recipe sharing event, where everyone was encouraged to bring a dessert and the recipe to share. This was one of the best attended luncheons of the year with over 40 participants. The Seniors program also offers a weekly stretching class and bi-monthly support groups for Men and Women 50+. - Counseling Programs - The Counseling program is working to keep up with the demands of a community in need of therapeutic services. There are few counseling services focused on the LGBT community in the Silicon Valley and even fewer offering a sliding scale to their clientele. We continue to work with our therapists to expand their skill sets and competency. - Health and Wellness Programs ? Our Health and Wellness Programs provide innovative support to Santa Clara County?s LGBT community and their allies. Through the AIDSnet Sentry program, which answers questions and provides information regarding safe sex, we have served over 400 individuals through our fiscal year. Our HIV testing and counseling pilot program has served 56 people since its inception on February 1, 2006. We are advocating for additional support for HIV counseling and testing programs at the DeFrank Center and county wide.
