(Above image from The Center Orlando’s Facebook page)
ORLANDO | The LGBT+ Center Orlando will now manage the Orlando United Assistance Center (OUAC) which serves and supports the immediate family members of the 49 individuals taken in the Pulse tragedy and the survivors.
OUAC, a collaboration with the City of Orlando, Orange County Government, Osceola County Government and Heart of Florida United Way, will now have its services incorporated into the existing services of The Center, according to an Oct. 28 press release.
“It was a privilege for the Heart of Florida United Way to manage the OUAC for the past four years. We are so pleased to transition the OUAC to such an esteemed organization with a vision for taking the OUAC to the next level,” Ray Larsen, vice president of community impact for the Heart of Florida United Way, said in the press release. “We are confident The Center Orlando’s focus on resiliency, which centers on an individual’s whole health in their healing, will ensure the impacted community continues to receive the care and support they need.”
OUAC, with advisement from the Central Florida Foundation, commissioned a survey outreach initiative in order to identify and better understand the long-term needs of the Pulse victims’ families and the survivors.
The research team’s findings showed a large majority of those affected wanted ongoing mental and physical health services; financial, job and housing assistances; and support groups for at least the next five years.
“The Center’s vision was perfectly in alignment with the core areas the collaborative outlined – based on the research findings,” says Larsen. “We are excited for this next chapter.”
Dr. Erica Fissel of the University of Central Florida and Zachary Murray, M.S., will lead focus groups beginning in early 2021 to help The Center to learn, anticipate and understand how they can best serve the Pulse survivors and families moving forward.
“The Center humbly serves and is connected with the impacted community in many capacities already, and we are grateful to the collaborative’s trust in serving this communities’ future needs,” Dr. George Wallace, executive director of The Center Orlando, said in the press release. “This community is resilient, and they will always be supported. To continue the amazing work of the OUAC is a humbling honor.”
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer weighed in on the transition of OUAC, saying in a statement “For decades, The Center Orlando has promoted the well-being of Central Florida’s LGBTQ+ community and their allies. Because of its focus on resiliency and centering on an individual’s complete health, I am confident that The Center Orlando will ensure that the OUAC will continue to provide compassionate care as we embark on this new chapter in our community’s healing.”
To learn more about OUAC and The Center’s new involvement, visit OrlandoUnitedAssistanceCenter.org/ResearchReport.
