HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — With the holiday season in full swing, Houston's New Faces of Pride is hoping to channel some of that cheer to help some of our city's most vulnerable students.
Organizers for the city's newest LGBTQ+ Pride celebration will host a school supply drive Wednesday at George Country Sports Bar in Montrose.
From 6-9 p.m., the community is invited to drop off school supply donations to help LGBTQ+ students start their semester off on the right foot.
An Amazon wishlist has also been created for those who would like to give online.
The drive benefits students served by Houston nonprofit Out for Education, which has expanded inclusion by providing scholarships to LGBTQ+ students since 1999.
President Brandi Lira said these students often begin their college careers without a safety net that can mean the difference between graduation and dropping out.
"A lot of them either are not out or they gain the confidence to come out, and then their parents are either not supportive financially, not supportive in other ways, and so when it comes time to go into college, they may or may not have the financial backing they need," Lira said.
The school supply drive is only the first event of several planned to help support Out for Education's mission through the 2025 Pride season, president Bryan Cotton said.
"We simply want to help kids get an education," Cotton said. "We're not just a celebration organization. When we put this together, we looked at what we needed in the community, and it was support for our smaller organizations, (and) this year we went with one we felt so strongly about: Out for Education."
In its inaugural year, Houston's New Faces of Pride provided $20,000 in aid to Tony's Place and Grace Place, two nonprofits focused on serving the needs of homeless LGBTQ+ youth.
The organization said it hopes to help Out for Education scholarship recipients with the tools they need to make it across the graduation stage, and into positions of influence in their communities.
George Country Sports Bar is located at 617 Fairview St., in Montrose.
ABC13 is proud to be official media partner of Houston's New Faces of Pride.
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