My Nonprofit Reviews
myowngirl
Review for Rainbow Center, Tacoma, WA, USA
I moved to Tacoma from Seattle back in 2000. In Seattle, it seemed anyway, that the GLBTQ community was far more organized and there were a multitude of things to do whatever my interests. Upon my arrival to the City of Destiny however, there seemed to be little to no real organization - so my personal destiny would do something about it. Luckily the first place I was introduced to was the Rainbow Center - not long after I became a board member in January of 2001 stepping down in Novemember of 2007. My time on the board taught me so much and all those who mentored me in that time are near and dear to my heart. I have seen the RC almost from its humble beginnings - when all we had was an 8'x 8' office in the united way building. Today, there is an 1800 sq foot center, supported almost exclusively by the community. The Board, Staff and Volunteers are leading the way to yet another level of service to all south sound citizens by providing the garden of common ground for all individuals, groups and organizations to come together - work together - live together - grow together and just BE together. As one of the leaders of Out In Tacoma now, when we needed support to continue our mission, we went to our friends at the RC for guidance. Thank goodness for them...there will be a PRIDE in 2009. Leadership takes courage and lots of hard work...the Rainbow Center has both of these qualities in abundance. Thanks RC!
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I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
Advocacy Work, Leadership Capacity, Resource introduction and maintenance, Budgetary growth, expansion of programming opportunities, and capacity in rallying the troops.
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Continue to develop the communities backbone by working with the other organizations in the area to develop expanded social opportunities while establishing itself more visibly as the Advocacy leader.
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
Their ability to listen and then step up to help! In the end if you can't envision the future and how it will be different, one is simply spinning its wheels. The Rainbow Center has a vision worth celebrating that reflects its own communites input.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
Gracious, Outgoing and Supportive.
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
Buy a permanent community center and devlop more programming to support their important work. I know what the budgets of this organization have looked like over the years...Tacoma's GLBTQ community has evolved organically due to the stewardship of RC.
Ways to make it better...
I didn't personally have to do anything to support my own rights as a citizen of this country. Fortunately the Rainbow Center provides ways for everyone to participate in finding equality. If everyone stepped up to do even simple things...we'd soar!
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
Financial Resources being available to develop a permanent structure to house the community center. Tacoma being a more blue collar town, doesn't have as many deep pockets as some other cities who still struggle with providing the same safe space.
One thing I'd also say is that...
Thanks for being there...so many have benefited. I hope all of Tacoma learns of what you do and why it is so important to the emotional, mental and physical health of this whole, entire community.
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2009
