It is the Mission of the Rainbow Community Center (RCC) is to build community among LGBTIQ persons and their allies through social opportunities, health and wellness services, and awareness programs. RCC relies on the development of partnerships and collaborations with many community organizations to assist with our mission. We welcome interested organizations to meet with RCC to discuss how your agency can also become involved in work to support LGBTQ people living in Contra Costa County.
Key partnerships include:
Stand in Pride
The Rainbow Community Center, Stand For Families Free from Violence (STAND), and Community Violence Solutions (CVS) have commited to a five year collaboration designed to increase support services for LGBTQ community members who experience Intimate Partner Violence or Sexual Assault. Counselors from STAND and CVS provide support services on-site at the RCC each week and together the three agencies are working to end violence in the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. Together the partners provide information, support, referrals, emergency shelter, and advocacy to LGBT victims/survivors of violence.
Contra Costa LGBTQ Youth Advocacy Collaborative
Each year in Contra Costa County, it is estimated that an average of 5 adolescents die by suicide. Untold others attempt to take their own lives, motivated by hopelessness, depression and a belief that they have no other options. Media coverage has highlighted the high risk of suicide and victimization that many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) youth experience. Moved by the high levels of risk and by groundbreaking research on the impact of family acceptance and rejection on the health of LGBT youth conducted by the Family Acceptance Project at SF State University, the Rainbow Community Center and the Contra Costa County Division of Mental Health launched the Contra Costa LGBTQ Youth Advocacy Collaborative to increase support and decrease risk for LGBTQ youth.
The Collaborative is a joint community effort to reach and engage families, peers, schools, faith groups and other community members to raise awareness of the harmful effects of rejection on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning youth. Our primary goal is to improve the health of LGBTQ youth by reducing rejecting behaviors and increasing accepting behaviors in Contra Costa social and service networks.
Collaborative Partners Include:
Horizons Foundation Wise Project
Like our mainstream counterparts, the LGBT community is experiencing the increasing impact of an aging population. However, existing programs and services appropriate for LGBT elders have nowhere near the capacity required to meet a burgeoning need. To begin addressing this, Horizons Foundation, in partnership with The California Wellness Foundation, has created a program called LGBT WISE: Working to Improve Services to Elders. LGBT WISE has three central goals:
- Improve access and services that support and improve the lives of LGBT elders
- Build regional capacity to meet the needs of LGBT elders
- Strengthen LGBT organizations to promote healthy aging among LGBT elders in Bay Area counties
Lavender Seniors of the East Bay
Spectrum Center for LGBT Concerns
Area Agency on Aging Senior Coalitions
The RCC provides fiscal support to Contra Costa County’s AAA Senior Coalitions and works in partnership with the AAA on a variety of LGBTQ Cultural Competency Projects.
Contra Costa County Tobacco Prevention Coalition
The Tobacco Prevention Coalition (TPC) is a group of Contra Costa organizations and residents working to reduce the impact of tobacco on communities and residents. It was established in 1989 as part of Proposition 99.
What does the Coalition do?
- Works to reduce youth access to tobacco;
- Looks for ways to reduce pro-tobacco advertising;
- Encourages policymakers to pass laws protecting residents from the effects of tobacco; and
- Follows the cutting-edge research on tobacco prevention to help design effective programs.
Members:
- Alcohol and Other Drugs Advisory Board
- American Cancer Society
- American Heart Association
- American Lung Association
- Bay Area Community Resources
- Center for Human Development
- Community Health Education Institute
- Community Clinic Consortium of Contra Costa County
- Contra Costa Child Care Council
- Contra Costa County Office of Education in Partnership with Public School District Tobacco Coordinators
- Contra Costa Health Services: Contra Costa Health Plan Public Health Division
- ETA – Empowerment Through Action
- Internation Brotherhood of Electircal Workers Local 302
- New Connections
- Pittsburg Preschool Coordinating Council
- Planned Parenthood: Shasta-Diablo
- Rainbow Community Center
- Ride
- Ujima Family Recovery Services
- West County Asthma Coalition
- Participating Residents of The County
HIV/AIDS Consortium
The Contra Costa HIV/AIDS Consortium advocates and provides support for people impacted by HIV/AIDS, plans prevention and care services, develops recommendations and advises governments and community leaders.
The Consortium is responsible for developing recommendations about programs and services, areas of greatest need and the best methods to meet those needs for Contra Costa residents.
The Consortium is a network of people dedicated to improving the health and well-being of individuals and communities impacted by HIV/AIDS. Members reflect the diversity of Contra Costa and include representatives from agencies that provide HIV/AIDS prevention and care services, people living with HIV/AIDS, concerned community members and staff from Contra Costa Health Services.
The Consortium meets monthly and all meetings are open to the public.
For more information about upcoming meetings, contact Consortium staff at 925-313-6941.