|
Kalamazoo
Resources
Michigan
Resources
State
and
National
Resources
New Statewide GLBT Legal Hotline for
Older Adults...
The Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center has received information that
there is a new GLBT Older Adult Hotline now available to address legal
issues related to estate planning needs, pension benefits, property/joint
tenancy, hospital visitation rights, caregiver concerns, elder abuse and
medical coverage. Other legal issues may also be addressed. The hotline
specifically serves older adults of the GLBT community. Ther services
are free and are limited to advice and counsel only. The consultation
is arranged through a phone appointment and the number to contact is 1-877-452-8529
(1 877 GLBT-LAW). There are no income or age restrictions for callers
from the Michigan GLBT community. This service is provided by the Lansing
based Elder Law of Michigan and is supported by the Arcus Foundation,
the Community Foundation for SE Michigan, The HOPE Fund, Triangle, Affirmations
and the ACLU.
"So if you have a legal question call them, this is a wonderful new
resource!" said Sharon Roepke, the KGLRC Executive Director. "I
spoke to Brad Vauter, the GLBT project attorney, and it sounds like this
could be a very useful service particularly if people are working out
partnership protection paperwork, the purchase of property together, cohabitation
agreements, etc." said Roepke.
www.glbtlaw.org
1-877-GLBT-LAW
|
Check out our GLBTQ Pages!
Resources
for:
Hearing
Impaired:
Rainbow Deaf Club of Michigan (RDCoM
for short).
Anyone interested is invited to join.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RDCoM
The Deaf Queer Resource Center (DQRC)
is a national nonprofit resource and information center
for, by and about the Deaf Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender,
Transsexual, Intersex and Questioning communities (hereafter referred
to
as the "Deaf Queer community"). http://www.deafqueer.org/
BiSexuals:
Check out Bi Tribune’s chat room. Now you can
even register and password protects your login. The new BT Buddy List
makes keeping track of all of your friends easy. You can go on away and
still stay logged in the room so you don’t miss anything or a buddy.
http://www.BiTribune.com
The January - March 2005 edition is available now.
Pick up your FREE copy today at GLBTQS establishments across the Midwest
and beyond. If you can’t find one, contact Editor@BiTribune.com
for information.
Transgenders:
Check out these links and tell us what you think.
Find some new ones... let us know about those too!
Transgender Forum: http://www.tgforum.com/
http://www.transgendercare.com
http://www.nu-woman.com
Seniors
Here are some great sites to check into,
which offer a variety of services and support to our "golden" GLBT population.
Old Lesbians Organizing for Change
(OLOC) a national organizational of regional groups for lesbians 60 and
over. "We celebrate our differences and affirm our diversity."
Pride Senior Network This organization
promotes services which foster maximum health, well being, and quality
of life for the aging lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender through community
advocacy and education.
Golden Threads
This group was established for the purpose of ending isolation and loneliness
among midlife and older Lesbians. It is a worldwide network.
Gay and Lesbian Association
of Retiring Persons, Inc. (GLARP) A new non-profit corporation dedicated
to encourage gay and lesbian individuals and businesses to give financially
and of their time and talent to enhance the aging experience of all retiring
gays and lesbians in exchange for tax and other benefits.
Senior Action in a Gay Environment
(SAGE) This is the nation's oldest and largest social service and advocacy
organization (1977) dedicated to LGBT senior citizens.
back
to home page
|
Gryphon
Dispute Resolution Services To Provide GLBT Support...
Sharon Roepke, Executive Director of the KGLRC has recently announced
that the Resource Center and Gryphon have met to discuss how Gryphon Place's
Dispute Resolution Services can provide support and service to the GLBT
Community. "The discussion about how Dispute Resolution Services
might better serve the GLBT community came up while we were planning a
Diversity Training for the Gryphon staff" said Roepke. Roepke said,
"I had an interest in exploring a resource for the community that
would provide individuals and couples an option between counseling and
lawyers, in other words, if for example a couple was splitting up and
they were having a property dispute or a child visitation dispute, could
we come up with a source of support that might help them amicably resolve
their problem without the high cost lawyers fees, etc.?" "Other
areas where I felt there might be a need was in a dispute between a glbt
teen and their school, say if the school was failing to stop a harassment
issue."
"These are just a few of the areas where I felt that Dispute Resolution
Services could be of help to our community", said Roepke.
Following the Gryphon GLBT Diversity Training Roepke met with Barry Burnside
of Gryphon's Dispute Resolution services to discuss ways that Gryphon
and the KGLRC to work together to provide support for the GLBT community.
Dispute Resolution Services is often involved in issues such as business
or contract disputes, consumer disputes, landlord/tenant disputes, workplace
disputes, family disputes, school conflicts and court issues. DRS charges
a sliding scale fee which is relatively inexpensive and mediation sessions
typically are scheduled within seven days of the initial contact. Burnside
said, "the sessions usually last no longer than two hours and the
mediator focuses on coming to a resolution of the problem that is satisfactory
to both parties." 80% of mediations end in agreement.
So if you're having a conflict that might be resolved by working with
a neutral mediator--whether that's a property dispute, child visitation
issue, a problem in your workplace, etc. consider contacting Dispute Resolution
Services--they welcome GLBT referrals. The Resource Center will be continuing
to work with Gryphon' s DRS during the upcoming year ,so let us know if
you've used their services and if you were satisfied with the program--we'll
share that information with Barry at DRS--while keeping you identity confidential
of course. You can send your feedback on your experience with DRS to Sharon
at kalglrc@aol.com or call Sharon at 269 349-4234.
To reach Dispute Resolution Services call between 9-5pm, Monday-Friday
at: 269 552-3434 or 1-800-873-7658. www.gryphon.org
|
