Bridging the cultural gap between Chicago’s LGBTQ+ individuals and the greater community sometimes starts with a simple act of giving back, like volunteering at a food pantry or cleaning up the debris at Osterman Beach on the city’s far north side.
“Honestly, I do not know the origin story of the name,” says Belcher. “Gay may not be the best word to represent the entire LGBTQ+ community today, but I struggle to find a word that does. Our name may be Gay For Good but we are also Lesbian For Good, Bisexual For Good, Transgender For Good and every other color in the rainbow and letter in the alphabet. We are an all-inclusive organization—everyone is welcome here.”
“When we show up [for an event] the volunteer coordinators for the partner group light up and they are always so visibly excited that we are there,” says Belcher. “We genuinely have a sense of community with each other, whether you’re a first-time volunteer or a regular, we smile, we engage, and we get the job done.” v
