Via QPDX:
Now in it’s 4th year, local drag icon and former Sissyboy Fannie Mae (Jefferey) Darling is putting on a holiday themed performance called Queer Quistmas later this month. This year she decided to add a philanthropic element with a food and coat drive for the homeless. But when she contacted the Portland Rescue Mission, a group that provides food, shelter, recovery and other vital services to homeless men, women and children in the Portland, Oregon and southwest Washington area, she was told they didn’t want her help. Darling transcribed the message for the Mercury below:
Hi Jeffrey. This is Brian Merrell with Portland Mission Rescue Mission. We spoke yesterday, um, about, um, connecting for the, um…queer Christmas event, um, and I just wanted to get back to you and, um, let you know that um, I have ran that up the ladder here and unfortunately, I think we are going to need to respectively decline, um. Let me preface this by saying that we don’t, do not, discriminate services to anyone, either outreach services or recovery services, meals or anything. But we are a faith-based organization and there was some concern with how it might come across to some of our donors. That, so, um, with that we are going to have to respectively decline, although I greatly appreciate what you want to do for us.
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The decision to not partner with the Queer Quistmas event was a sponsorship decision, not a decision to decline the much-needed and useful contribution of blankets and winter outerwear. We were willing to accept the donations, but the organizer has chosen to direct the gifts elsewhere. Fortunately, they will still benefit the homeless people of the Portland community who we serve everyday at Portland Rescue Mission. Our decision to decline the sponsorship was primarily based on the urgency of a decision (the event is Dec. 20) and our inability to provide all the benefits that the organizer/event would require.
ReplyDeleteWe regret the confusion that this issue has created in our local community and the greater community of LGBT concerns.
-- Portland Rescue Mission