Corporations or companies that are looking for last minute tax deductions for 2011 or even for good causes to support any time of year might wonder how to support the gay or GLBT community in Fort Wayne or Allen County or Northeast Indiana. More importantly, if you have a corporation or company that claims to support diversty in the workplace, what can your workplace do to prove that meaningfully? How do you support your Gay, Lesbian, Transgender or Bisexual employees or your employee families that may have a GLBT member?
Your workplace could give to a not-for-profit agency the deals with AIDS or prevention but not all GLBT persons have HIV or AIDS. Your workplace could support Pride Day but that is a once a year event and maybe you would like something lasting throughout the year. You could support the Human Rights Campaign, but that is more of a National scale. So what is local or regional that can help families and individuals throughout the year?
Well, to be honest, there are two great agencies: one would be the local PFLAG chapter for Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians And Gays that meets monthly in Fort Wayne. The other would be the Northeast Indiana Diversity Library (NIDL). Both give resources and support to individuals and families who are dealing with GLBT issues but only NIDL is open every week. Your corporation or company would be supporting Indiana's oldest GLBT collection right here in Fort Wayne. Giving to NIDL will also support academic studies of GLBT history and issues. Donating and pledging to libraries and archives like NIDL also give a lasting gift to your community.
Last year, IPFW and its Helmke Library collaborated with NIDL to enhance student academics in GLBT studies and to add to community life. To do this, NIDL was gifted space and resources to reopen, as well as a chance to get funded. Getting ready for 2012, NIDL sought help with part of a ten thousand dollar budget-goal by writing a grant proposal for operations half of that amount. In November, again the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne announced it was giving NIDL's parent organization a grant of $2,000. This means NIDL is far short of it's total goal but a good step toward it. This year NIDL and IPFW are working toward digitalization of early newsletters of Fort Waynes GLBT community for its archives and use by the students. Speaking of students... Horizon's is a GLBT & straight youth group the library provides for middle and high-school teens on Thursday nights and donations would help gay teens and their allies have a place to be and activities to do. Your and your workplace can join other community donors to enhance the regions community life.
NIDL shares the Fort Wayne Community Educational Centers' 501(c)(3) status and donations are tax deductible. Make checks payable to "NIDL" or the Northeast Indiana Diversity Library, and mail them to the address below. Check out our Friends of NIDL page and the link to our donation form to help you fill your donation and be added to our Friends page. We even make it easy with a online Paypal button if that work for you.
We need your support to the Library at this time, which is crucial for the preservation of our GLBT library and for the library's future.
Please, won't you consider giving a tax-deductable gift of support so that this library will continue to be a resource to our community?
*Remember to be a tax deduction for 2011 it must be mailed (out of your control) by December 31st.
NIDLP. O. Box 5537Fort Wayne, IN 46895
Today (9/7/12) Macy's presented the NIDL director with a check to support the NIDL's mission of diversity in the local area. Macy's has a long standing commitment of support to diversity.
NIDL has offered and presented programs to area churches, schools and libraries on various topics. If your church, school, library or group would like a speaker or program about either the library or on a GLBT topic please contact NIDL by phone or email.