Texas TG Shelter in Danger of Closing

Shelter in Need of Immediate Financial Support

[GALVESTON, TX] - A shelter which serves the transgender population in Galveston, Texas, near Houston, is in danger of closing due to lack of funding.

Run by an organization called Community Awareness for Transgendered Support (CATS), the 52nd Street Homeless Shelter provides assistance and services to transsexuals and the transgendered, including electrolysis, health care, legal assistance, SRS assistance, a clothes bank and a support groups.

The shelter is in danger of closing at the end of November 2002. All of the programs are currently working, but, without the financial support of the community, continuing to run these programs is not possible.

The shelter is asking the trans community to help by making financial donations to keep the shelter open. Even donations of $5 or $10 per month would help to pay half of the rent. One time donations are welcome as well.

Although located in Texas, the CATS Shelter has helped individuals from all areas and is currently the only shelter program of its kind. CATS has developed a system of providing housing to transgendered individuals who would otherwise be homeless.

Successfully addressing the housing and supportive needs of homeless gender-variant individuals is far more complex than addressing the needs of the general homeless population. A wide range of housing and service options provided address the specific needs of those homeless, transgender persons.

For more information on CATS or to make a donation, please visit our web site at http://www.tghelp.org/.