Programs & Services

The Center provides a welcoming environment in which everyone is celebrated for who they are; where visitors can connect and engage with the community. We invite you to take advantage of everything The Center has to offer, including meeting rooms and event space, the David Bohnett CyberCenter, an outdoor garden, the library and archive. The Center is your resource and information hub. We coordinate thousands of activities each year on behalf of LGBT organizations, individuals and non-profits who host their events and meetings at The Center. Come see for yourself how our staff and the larger LGBT community contribute to a safe, enriching and affirming atmosphere.

Our LGBT community has made spectacular cultural contributions to New York City and beyond. A home for the arts and education since its inception, The Center is at the heart of this cultural evolution. From the birth of the ACT UP organization in our building to the famous Keith Haring mural and other permanent art installations, The Center provides a forum for artists to shed light on LGBT topics and issues of interest. The Center is a permanent home for The Pat Parker/Vito Russo Center Library and The LGBT Community Center National History Archive. We also provide extensive information and referral services as well as affordable rental space for more than 400 groups a year.

For more than two decades, The Center has been helping the LGBT community to build, nurture, protect and grow our families. From questions about starting a family, to parenting support and networking, to couples counseling, legal and medical resources and referrals, we provide information and answers. Whether a community member is ready to start a family, looking to make a play date with other LGBT families or just seeking an LGBT-family-friendly environment, The Center is here to help.

Center Recovery is the only New York State, OASAS-licensed, outpatient substance abuse treatment program specifically designed for the LGBT community. Even today, our community faces a number of issues and health disparities that place us at greater risk for alcohol and substance abuse. The Center recognizes how these elements affect our community, and we offer educational and recovery programs, psychiatric services, support groups and counseling to provide the tools our clients need to lead sober, healthier lives.

As with any community, quality of life is important. Through a range of programs, services and events, we provide the mental and physical health resources needed to preserve and enhance well-being. The Center offers extensive services, from short-term counseling and groups, to health referrals, smoking cessation, cancer support, HIV/AIDS prevention and support, and gender identity and LGBT immigration programming.

The Center provides a forum for the LGBT youth of our community (and those who are questioning their gender identity or sexual orientation) to celebrate who they are in an affirming, healthy and welcoming environment. We help our LGBT youth to live independently, establish support networks and to effect positive, social change. Open to young people between the ages of 13 and 21, our programs build self-esteem and help ready participants for various life stages. We offer peer leadership training and discussion groups, guidance for setting personal or vocational goals, as well as college preparation and career support.