Luis Chavez of the Fresno City Council presents a $100,000 check to the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission’s LGBTQ+ Resource Center. Photo by Alex Scott

Fresno City Councilmember Luis Chavez presented a check for $100,000 to the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission’s LGBTQ+ Resource Center on Tuesday.

This presentation follows Chavez’s motion last June to award the resource center a one-time $100,000 funding so the center could expand its services, hire additional staff and increase outreach efforts.

“This money is going to help keep mental health services here in the center for the year for our clients who don’t have health insurance or are underinsured,” said Jennifer Cruz, LGBTQ+ Program Manager at Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission. “That’s a really important aspect of the general health for the LGBTQ plus community.” 

Established in March 2019, the Fresno EOC LGBTQ+ Resource Center provides a variety of services to the LGBTQ+ community including peer support groups, mental health services, substance use disorder prevention/education, screening/assessments, and referrals to treatment.