Local nonprofits work every day to meet our community’s needs and make the Savannah area a better place to live. This page is devoted to promoting those efforts. Organizations are invited to send information concerning local volunteer needs, fundraising campaigns, events and more. Email info to eric.curl@savannahagenda.com.
Stay engaged Savannah,
Eric Curl
Submitted by Savannah Pride Center
Jan. 28, 2025 – Savannah Pride Center, one of only two LGBTQIA+ centers in the state of Georgia, will present its first annual Savannah LGBTQIA+ Health Summit, March 1-2 at Savannah Civic Center.
● For more information on the event, including an itinerary of topics to be covered, visit savannahpridecenter.org/healthsummit2025.
● For information on sponsoring the event, email info@savannahpridecenter.org.
Focused on bridging the gap on LGBTQIA+ healthcare services in Savannah and surrounding region, the two-day summit will serve as a comprehensive platform for healthcare providers and community members to explore critical health issues and innovative solutions tailored to the needs of the LGBTQIA+ community.
“Despite notable advances in medicine, we have significant work to do in Savannah and the southeast region to address the unique health challenges faced by our community,” said Michael Bell, executive director of Savannah Pride Center.
In addition to providers, Savannah-area organizations will attend the summit to share information on their offerings that impact the health of LGBTQIA people+, including non-medical external factors such as housing, employment and loneliness, often called the social determinants of health (SDOH).
Organizations including Campaign for Southern Equality, National Coalition for LGBTQ Health and Williams Institute have reported that LGBTQIA people in Georgia face unique health disparities, including higher rates of HIV, lower access to healthcare and poor mental health outcomes.
Topics covered during the Savannah LGBTQIA Health Summit will include “Navigating Trans and Gender Diverse Care in Savannah,” “Displacement and the LGBTQIA+ Community,” and “HIV Prevention and Care,” as well as discussions on affirming mental health practices and creating safe medical spaces.
According to a 2020 survey cited by Campaign for Southern Equality, LGBTQIA people living in Georgia were more likely to live with HIV (8%) than survey participants from other states in the region, with rates significantly higher for Black (37.5%) and trans (10.6%) participants
In 2022, the South as a region accounted for almost half (49%) of the 31,800 estimated new HIV infections in the nation, according to HIV.gov. In a 2022 survey cited by The Trevor Project, 64% of LGBTQIA youth in Georgia experienced barriers to accessing mental health care including the need for parental permission, fear of discussing mental health concerns and financial constraints.
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About Savannah Pride Center
Savannah Pride Center is an inclusive advocacy, social, and service organization actively working to meet the needs for safety, empowerment, education, and wellbeing of Greater Savannah’s LGBTQIA+ community. We envision an inclusive community where every person has safety, acceptance, and equal rights under the law. Savannah Pride Center is proud to create Safe and Affirming spaces in the Deep South as well as provide a connection to quality care for the LGBTQIA+ community.
One of only two LGBTQIA+ centers in Georgia, Savannah Pride Center is a volunteer-driven registered 501(c)(3) not for profit organization serving the greater Savannah LGBTQIA+ community and 12+ surrounding Georgia counties.