SAN FRANCISCO - AussieJournal -- San Francisco:  #StartSmall, Jack Dorsey's philanthropic initiative, has donated $500,000 to LYRIC (www.lyric.org), the San Francisco Bay Area nonprofit dedicated to supporting marginalized LGBTQQ+ youth to build community, gain access to critical support services, and develop the life and leadership skills necessary to thrive. The grant, made possible by the CEO and co-founder of Twitter and Square, will help strengthen and expand supportive programming and safe spaces at LYRIC for its community of youth and their mentors to effectively create solutions and strategies to overcome the trauma of violence that many of them have experienced throughout their lives. Close to half of LYRIC's youth participants, ages 10-24, have been impacted by violence, bullying and similar perils, and these dangers have increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"LYRIC is so grateful to Jack Dorsey and #StartSmall for this transformative donation to help expand facilities due to a big leap in demand and LYRIC's growth in recent years, and to ensure the safety of LGBTQQ+ youth, especially to ensure their safety in the wake of COVID," said Toni Newman, Interim Executive Director for LYRIC. "We work with the city's most marginalized young people by providing direct services such as health and housing, and together build lasting job and personal leadership skills.  They are our community's future, and leaders of tomorrow."

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Dorsey's generous #StartSmall grant greatly helps LYRIC push forward with its current Flourish with LYRIC Campaign (www.lyricflourishing.org). With the exceptional $500,000 #StartSmall grant, LYRIC will have raised over $2.1 million toward a $2.5 million goal to expand and renovate its LGBTQQ+ Youth Center in San Francisco's Castro District, a renowned national model for helping youth not only survive but to thrive since 1988. The Flourish with LYRIC Campaign is a broad-based community effort, raising essential funds at all levels from LYRIC alumni, individual friends, foundations, public agencies and progressive businesses throughout the Bay Area and beyond.

"With 85% of the campaign goal now realized, the Flourish with LYRIC Campaign is now on the threshold of the exciting public phase of this initiative," according to a statement issued by the LYRIC Board of Directors. "Until now, campaign volunteers and staff have been primarily focused on past contributors and those identified through volunteer and donor networks.  During the public phase, LYRIC will now prioritize seeking funds to close the $400,000 gap to meet the $2.5 million goal, and pursue this through an even broader-based community effort to attract additional supporters who are inspired by what they're now learning about LYRIC's extraordinary effectiveness and success."

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In addition to #StartSmall and Jack Dorsey, among LYRIC's leading and most generous supporters since the campaign was launched are: The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Crankstart, and the City and County of San Francisco, as well as hundreds of individual and business donors giving at all levels.

LYRIC is a leader in the San Francisco Bay Area offering safe spaces, workforce development, healthcare navigation, individual counseling, and group-based community building to marginalized low-income LGBTQQ+ youth.  During the COVID-19 pandemic, LYRIC has continued its vital work for LGBTQQ youth in our community. LYRIC's mission is to build community and inspire positive social change through education enhancement, career trainings, health promotion, and leadership development with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQQ) youth, their families, and allies of all races, classes, genders, and abilities. For more information and to make a donation, please go to www.lyric.org

#StartSmall is Jack Dorsey's philanthropic initiative to fund global COVID-19 relief, girls health and education, and efforts towards Universal Basic Income. Dorsey transferred $1 billion (28% of his wealth) to #StartSmall in 2020.