The L-Fund's September 2023 Newsletter!

Our mission is to empower cis, trans, and queer identifying lesbians through financial crisis assistance as well as grants in the areas of health and wellness, the arts and education.

FOUNDED BY LESBIANS FOR LESBIANS

The L-Fund envisions an enriched future for the lives of all lesbians.

September 2023

Newsletter Volume 4, Issue 2

In this issue:

An update from Chris Hunter & Mei Ling Tom, our Co-Chairs
Programs Updates & Stories of Some Recent Recipients
Board Member Spotlight
A Special Thank You to Our Community
Save The Dates - Mark Your Calendar for Upcoming Events

An Update From The L-Fund's Co-Chairs

Chris Hunter & Mei Ling Tom

We are excited to partner as Co-Chairs of The L-Fund's Board and have been doing so since the beginning of the year. We each bring different but complementary skills to the Board and we are thrilled that under our leadership the Board has undergone a full Strategic Planning process. We are working with purpose and intention to fulfill our Vision and Mission. We are also focused on growing our Board of Directors with a diverse group of individuals while concurrently recruiting with specific experience and skills in mind to professionally complete our work.

If you would like to contribute to The L-Fund's life-altering efforts, click here to donate.

HEAR YE' HEAR YE'

The L-Fund is growing and we are in need of some good people with important skill sets!

Do you want to help your fellow lesbians in need? Do you have a few hours to spare on a monthly basis? Do you have experience in Accounting/Financing? Social Work? Counseling? Grant Writing? PR/media relations? Graphic/Web Design? Corporate Leadership? Recruitment? Non-Profit Governance?

If you do then we want to talk with you! Feel free to reach out to any of our Board members or email us at info@l-fund.org for more information.

Meet a Few of Our Recent Recipients Who Received Some of the $47,000 We Have Awarded so Far This Year!

Meet Jessie:

LEAP Recipient

Jessie is a trans lesbian who wants to use her life experiences to be a voice for other kids like herself. Her dream is to be a stand up comedian and hopefully be a cast member on SNL! The L-Fund paid $2,500 towards her tuition at Idyllwild Arts Academy where she will be studying creative writing and acting.

Meet Amy:

LIN Recipient

Amy is an amazing single mother of three by choice who was facing an unexpected financial crisis and needed auto repairs to pass smog requirements. Due to her children's various medical needs, having a reliable and legal vehicle to drive to appointments was the most important need. The L-Fund provided $4,385.96 to pay for a new catalytic converter for her vehicle.

Meet Amanda: LEAP Recipient

Amanda has a BA degree in Animal Behavior and currently works as a Veterinary Assistant at Animal Samaritans. Animal Samaritans granted her a scholarship to attend an online program to become a Registered Veterinary Technician. This will assist Amanda in furthering her career and pursuing one of her life's purposes which is to improve the lives of animals. The L-Fund purchased a laptop and Microsoft Office (totaling $1,500.00) for her to be able to attend the online school.

If you would like to help future recipients, click here to donate.

Board Member Spotlight:

Marilyn Ramos

3 Fun Facts!

She is a twin, which she considers the biggest gift in her life (her sister is the best human being she knows).
She is a big time Parrothead with 22 concerts under her belt (she is sad at the recent loss of Jimmy Buffett).
She is single (you knew that was coming, it's a running joke) and lives in Cathedral City with her two beautiful dogs, Frida and Diego.

Marilyn was born and raised in New York City. She found herself in Dallas, Texas for about 9 years before landing in the Palm Springs area.

Marilyn joined the Board in December 2020 and has been the current Board Secretary for 1 ½ years. She also

co-chairs the Communications Committee which, among other things, oversees our newsletter, social media, event promotion and managing press/media contacts.

She started her legal career as an estate planning paralegal but has been a corporate / HOA paralegal at the Palm Desert law firm of Guralnick & Gilliland for over 27 years!

Marilyn has been an advocate all of her adult life - from reproductive rights (she volunteered with Planned Parenthood in Dallas for many years) to civil rights (advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, minority rights, and women’s rights) to animal advocacy (her passion is animals). She has been vegan 22 years and oversees a local vegan group based out of Palm Springs.

It is no surprise that she now advocates for lesbians in need. She loves the work she does with The L-Fund. “We are a unique organization focused on helping a sometimes fragile and often overlooked community. In a scary world that is trying to push us back into the closet, The L-Fund is a beacon of hope for lesbians in the greater Coachella Valley.”

A Very Special Thank You To You

The L-Fund would like to thank you, the community, for opening your hearts and wallets to those in need. Your generosity has been felt in so many different ways, and it's because of you that our recipients feel cared for, heard and valued.

There have been many times where we were told how our help impacted our recipients and the opportunities we helped provide. We are truly humbled that they feel the embrace and love by the community. It's because of you that our recipients are able to thrive, so thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

The work we do cannot be done without the willingness and support of the community to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. You are the manifestation of the phrase, “It takes a village.”

We are humbled by your efforts and truly grateful for all you have done and continue to do.

With Gratitude,

The L-Fund Board of Directors

If you would like to contribute to The L-Fund's life-altering efforts, click here to donate.