The Source LGBTQ+ Center in Visalia awarded $350K grant

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- What started arsenic an thought by Brian Poth and Nick Vargas is present a harmless haven for thousands successful the South Valley.

"I was really stopped successful the street, and idiosyncratic said I would not beryllium present unless I recovered the enactment and the enactment radical astatine The Source," Vargas said.

The Source LGBTQ+ Center opened 8 years agone and is present the largest Center betwixt Los Angeles and Sacramento, providing aggregate resources and supporting implicit 24,000 successful 2023.

"Our ngo is to supply supportive spaces successful our vale to assistance LGBTQ+ radical learn, grown, beryllium and thrive," Poth said.

Their dedication and hard enactment precocious recognized connected a large signifier successful Sacramento.

Poth and Vargas are 2 of the 9 leaders selected arsenic recipients of the 2024 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award.

"When we were lasting connected the legislature level and proceeding each these bully things said astir america was incredible," Vargas said. "And to beryllium connected the signifier aboriginal that nighttime astatine the reception to beryllium looking astatine truthful galore radical applauding was an unthinkable feeling."

An accomplishment, some say, is simply a testament and breaking barriers.

"It's for statewide nonprofits who bash each kinds of astonishing enactment truthful it's truly chill to triumph and truly validating to beryllium selected retired of 400 nominations, 12 finalist and six winners. We are the lone LGBTQ Center to person been awarded successful its history," Poth said.

The $350,000 assistance volition beryllium utilized to turn and instrumentality caller services astatine the Source.

"Being capable to grow services into much agrarian places successful our counties is 1 of the targets and commencement our superior campaign," Poth said.

Poth and Vargas accidental it's a imagination to assistance thousands yearly and look guardant to what the aboriginal holds.

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