Gulfport Pride 2024. (Photo by Deidre Favero)
GULFPORT, Fla. | Gulfport Pride raised $10,000 in funds during their fourth annual Gulfport Pride festival, splitting the donation evenly between two local nonprofits.
“We are thrilled to have raised significant funds for these two incredible nonprofits,” Gulfport Councilman and event partner Paul Ray shared in a press release. “Their dedication to improving lives in our community aligns perfectly with the spirit of Gulfport Pride, and we are honored to support their work.”
This year’s Gulfport Pride festival drew in a diverse crowd when it kicked off Pride Month, an inclusive celebration that sparked controversy for the inclusion of a pro-Donald Trump vendor. Since 2021, organizers say the celebration has donated over $25,000 to community-based organizations.
Beneficiaries for 2024 include the Sonia Plotnick Women’s Health Fund and Gulfport Kiwanis Club — both charitable organizations focused on bettering different parts of the community.
The volunteer-ran SPHF was founded in 1996 and focusses on providing financial assistance to help cover healthcare costs for women in Gulfport and surrounding communities. It awards an average of $700 to about 45 applicants annually. Services covered by SPHF include dental, mental health, reproductive healthcare, surgeries, vision care, mammograms and more.
“We couldn’t do it without the generosity of individuals, local businesses, and community events like Gulfport Pride,” Carol Vitelli, the organization’s chairwoman said.
Gulfport Kiwanis Club is a chapter in Kiwanis International. The volunteer-based organization dedicates its time to assisting underprivileged children in the community. Members of the club “help shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, mentor the disadvantaged and care for the sick,” and “develop youth as leaders, build playgrounds, raise funds for pediatric research and much more,” according to the Kiwanis Club website.
“We are humbled to be a beneficiary of the 2024 Gulfport Pride Festival donations,” said Club President Diana Schwarz. “The funds will support our Duffel Bags for Foster Children program. LGBTQ+ youth are over-represented in the foster care system, with studies showing that 30 percent of youth in foster care identify as LGBTQ+ compared to 11 percent outside the system.”
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Nonprofits interested in becoming Gulfport Pride beneficiaries can apply for next year’s Pride grants until Dec. 1.
For more information about Gulfport Pride, visit GulfportPrideFlorida.com.
