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Kelsey R. Kennedy, 3/29/90 - 10/5/2022



We honor the incredible light that was Kelsey, who shined so brightly in this world.

We are devastated that their light has been extinguished. May we keep it burning in our hearts forever. Their obituary may be found here.

Hi Friends,

Kelsey started working at Trinity Haven in January 2021, where they created Indiana’s very first Host Homes Program, which matches young people who do not have a home with volunteers in our community willing to share theirs.

When we started this work and built our team from scratch, I felt like I had been gifted the most unbelievably talented group of unicorns, each bringing their unique and perfect selves at the exact right time. Kelsey was the first unicorn.

Kelsey had a way about them – they could connect with someone on a meaningful and deep level within seconds. It was their superpower. And they used their superpower for good…connecting with and creating safe space for the young people we serve, so they felt seen and heard and validated. They did that for me, too, and I am certain, for many of you as well.

Kels and I talked a lot about both/and...how two things can be true at the same time, and how, sometimes, that doesn’t make sense…when we want things to be black and white, because that seems like it would be so much easier to deal with. There are so many shades of grey in between and often they blur into each other. That’s what makes this thing called life so complicated, and delicious. This work…helping young people learn how to navigate life as they journey toward independence…it can be incredibly challenging and just as rewarding. We can be frustrated about something and so grateful for the learning opportunity that comes from it. We can be exhausted and exhilarated. We can be hurt and happy. We can be angry and sad.



And I think what is so hard about this…losing Kelsey…is the "both/and" of it all. I am so, so angry, and I am so, so sad. I am also so grateful for everything I learned about and from Kelsey, and I will miss them, desperately, for the rest of my life. 



It’s okay for us to be angry. It’s okay for us to be sad. It’s okay for us to be grateful. And it’s okay for us to celebrate the life of this incredible, unique, magical unicorn…all at the same time. Both / and, Kels. Both. And.

With gratitude,

 Jenni

#DeltaDouble for #GivingTuesday

STARTS NOW!

We’re not the type to rush through Halloween to get Thanksgiving, trust us! But, we do want to give you the heads up on Trinity Haven’s #GivingTuesday gift match opportunity brought to us this year by Delta Faucet! For every dollar you give, Delta Faucet is going to match it up to $25,000! We want to go big to make the most of Delta Faucet’s generosity AND we don’t want to get lost all the social media traffic related to #GivingTuesday on November 29th! So, we’re opening our #DeltaDouble for #GivingTuesday starting today and all the way through November 29th! Let’s turn Delta Faucet’s $25,000 gift into $50,000, or even better - $75K! - to make homelessness for LGBTQ young people a thing of the past! All you have to do is give through this link or through Trinity Haven’s social media channels and let us know it's for the #DeltaDouble.

At Faegre Drinker, clients are at the start — and the heart — of everything we do. Our commitment to our clients is matched only by our commitment to the communities we call home. Our attorneys and staff work with changemakers across the spectrum, including legal service, social service, environmental, educational and civic organizations. Through our community service initiatives, our professionals have helped bolster volunteer resources in local schools. Here in Indianapolis, we have worked with William McKinley School 39 for more than 20 years, providing elementary school students with additional academic support. We also volunteer with Habitat for Humanity branches across the Midwest; promote job readiness through resume workshops, mock interviews and professional clothing collection drives for nonprofits like Dress for Success; and maintain an active partnership with United Way of Central Indiana, working to distribute much-needed resources to local nonprofits and people in need.

Faegre Drinker also has a long-standing history of providing financial, pro bono and in-kind support to Trinity Haven, Lambda Legal, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and related organizations dedicated to protecting and advancing the civil rights of LGBTQ+ people. Our current work runs the gamut, including providing governance and real estate legal services to Trinity Haven; co-counseling a case with the ACLU of Illinois on behalf of a transgender student who was denied equal rights at his school; litigating to establish that the State Department cannot rely on its male-or-female-only gender policy to withhold a U.S. passport from our client, who is intersex and nonbinary and does not identify as male or female; providing advice to LGBTQ+ advocacy groups; and staffing a regular legal advice clinic to assist transgender clients with name changes. 

These efforts are driven by a deep-seated hope – for our communities, including their LGBTQ+ members, to be seen, heard and granted justice. For us, that justice looks like gender-affirming legal representation, as well as equity in education, housing and overall opportunity. These things should not be a privilege; they should be a right. That may not be the reality of the world we face today, but we envision and expect more. So, until we get to that place, we are dedicated to standing alongside organizations like Trinity Haven and helping them chart the path forward.  

To learn more about Faegre Drinker, visit https://faegredrinker.com.

Click here to see a video highlighting Faegre Drinker's support of the LGBTQ community.

There is a significant difference between ‘all are welcome here’ and ‘this was created with you in mind’. – Marcus Harrison Green

Trinity Haven offers safe, welcoming, affirming housing created specifically for LGBTQ youth/young adults. Trinity Haven provides each resident housing and services to prepare them for independent living, and they work alongside an engagement specialist to build an individualized plan that leads to their independence. Support services focus on education, employment, well-being and self-sufficiency and are designed to create an atmosphere of acceptance, community and belonging.

Our mission is to provide safe, affirming housing for LGBTQ youth experiencing housing instability.

To make a secure donation to Trinity Haven, please click here.