The BHT Foundation—formerly known as Brother, Help Thyself—awarded a total of $71,500 in grants to 20 nonprofits helping the underserved LGBT and HIV communities in the Baltimore and Washington, DC, region.
“It’s just an amazing feeling to make even a small difference for all the great organizations that are supporting our communities,” BHT president Nina Love told Metro Weekly.
A reception held January 25 at the DC Eagle honored the grantees as well as the group’s new name, which represents the growing diversity in the groups that received grants from the BHT Foundation.
According to BrotherHelpThyself.org, BHT provides “grants to smaller LGBTQ+-serving nonprofits that are often overlooked or do not qualify for larger grants or government support. We get to know our applicants, hear firsthand about their passion and the amazing work that they are doing and help them through the grant process.”
The foundation operates three separate funds, Metroweekly reports. The Richard Van Der Karr Memorial HIV/AIDS Fund helps support prevention, treatment and education; the Medford Fund helps deliver goods and services to LGBT and HIV communities; and the General Fund helps support various programs that help the LGBT community, such as art and athletic programs.
The organization’s logo
Founded by four gay motorcycle clubs in 1978, the BHT Foundation is one of the first groups in the nation to provide funding for LGBT and same-gender-loving services. According to its website, the first fundraiser—by the Capital Area Board of Leather and Levi Motorcycle Clubs—brought in $4,518, which went to the Gay Men’s VD Clinic.
Since then, the foundation has awarded more than $3.5 million to over 196 groups in the community.
To learn more about this year’s awardees, see the Metro Weekly article.
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