History
The Center began in 1977. The Center was officially incorporated in 1980 as One in Long Beach, Inc. and has been providing service programs to the Long Beach community for over 3 decades. As a result of the AIDS epidemic, in 1984, The Center established Project Ahead, the first case management service in Southern Los Angeles County exclusively for gay men with HIV and AIDS. In 1985 The Center was able to purchase a building located near 4th and Cherry. The building opened in 1986 as a new home of the agency. In 1987, the agency held AIDS Walk Long Beach which continues today as a separate foundation. In 1997, One in Long Beach became the Gay and Lesbian Center of Greater Long Beach. Today, we serve over 21,000 people a year and provide many services including support and social groups, youth services, legal assistance, rental and roommate referrals, a hate crimes hotline, mental health services,cultural activities, and HIV prevention and testing programs.
Specialties
The Center provides services to support, inform and connect the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities through programs of information and education, health and well-being, housing, cultural and social activities, and social justice. The Center engages, empowers and advocates to achieve a more equitable society and fosters an ever-improving quality of life for the LGBTQ community. The Center has a number of programs and services including 1. Free Rapid HIV Testing 2. Free STI Testing & Treatment By Appointment 3. Sliding-Scale Mental Health Counseling 4.Youth Programs 5. Free Cyber Center 6. Free Legal Clinic 7. Domestic Violence Services 8. Resources and Referrals 9. LGBTQ Lending Library 10. Numerous Social & Support Groups 11. Seminars & Workshops 12. Annual QFilm Festival 13. Volunteer Opportunities 14. Various Community Events