Over $800,000 Raised to Protect and Empower Queer Youth

At Safe Schools South Florida, we believe that every young person deserves access to truth, safety, and the tools to protect their future. Thanks to the generosity of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and The Florida AIDS Walk, we are proud to announce that together we raised over $800,000 this year. These funds directly support our work to educate and empower queer youth across South Florida through comprehensive HIV/AIDS awareness, no-nonsense sexual health education, and access to life-saving medications and prevention resources.

This is not just about numbers. It is about lives. It is about creating environments where young people are taught how to care for their bodies without fear, shame, or censorship. In a time when accurate sexual health education is being stripped from classrooms and vital healthcare access is under attack, we are stepping in to make sure queer youth are seen, informed, and supported.

Through interactive workshops, digital media programming, youth-led initiatives, and direct support in schools and communities, Safe Schools provides critical information on STI and HIV prevention, testing access, and treatment options. We ensure that young people have the knowledge to make empowered decisions about their health and the resources to access care when they need it.

We could not have reached this milestone alone. Our deepest gratitude goes to our faith partners at No Reservations, Fort Lauderdale United Church of Christ, the Interfaith Collective, and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Miami. Your moral leadership and solidarity have been instrumental. To our community partners at Miami Shores Pride and the Imperial Sun Court of All Florida, thank you for your generosity and commitment to equity.

And to our individual donors, this was our strongest year yet because you showed up with conviction. You gave because you understand what is at stake for our queer youth, for their families, and for the educators who fight daily to protect them. You gave because silence is never an option when it comes to our health and our dignity.

Together, we are building a future where no young person has to navigate their identity or their health alone. This work is urgent, and it continues, but today we pause to celebrate what we can do when we come together as one community, united by love and purpose.

Thank you for believing in us. Thank you for believing in them.

By: Rev. Dr. Harold Marrero
Chief Operating Officer

We encourage you to share this information with friends, fellow teachers, and allies and join us in bringing awareness to our efforts. Your support is essential for our ongoing work to create safe spaces for all students, regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or expression. Please consider donating to Safe Schools so that we can continue advocating for inclusivity and diversity within the education system.