GAZETTE Tampa Bay Gay and Lesbian News

By Brian Feist
ST. PETERSBURG-"Did you ever think you'd one day be running a gay community center?" I asked Lorraine Langlois, Executive Director of Metropolitan Charities. With head shaking and eyes rolling, she responded, "You know, it's funny. I said the same thing to my sister: 'can you believe this!'"

"This" is the Metro Center, Pinellas County's brand new GLBT Community Center. The Metro Center is an almost accidental culmination of nearly two decades of diligent, responsible community service by an organization that started out as a Foundation launched by King of Peace MCC to provide services to people with HIV/AIDS. It is also a prime example of what can happen when the right combination of circumstances and people comes together at just the right time.

Metropolitan Charities has demonstrated outstanding stewardship of it's resources over the years and has grown to be one of the most respected - and financially secure - AIDS Service Organizations (ASO) in the area, providing case management services from offices in St. Petersburg and Tampa. They recently received a grant allowing them to expand services into Polk County, as well, and will be opening their office in Lakeland in April, 2005.

"I've always wanted the agency to provide more than just HIV services," says Langlois. She adds that one of her goals is to expand the image of the agency from that of an ASO to a provider of a full spectrum of services to the broader community. A recent grant from the Scott Opler foundation is helping to make that goal a reality.

Langlois explains how St. Pete Pride co-chair Brian Longstreth approached her several months ago. "'I understand you're looking for a larger office space,' he said. I said to him 'I am?'" In truth, Metropolitan Charities was outgrowing the space they leased from King of Peace MCC. Longstreth showed her the vacant building next door to Georgie's Alibi, on 3rd Ave. North. Alibi owner George Kessinger had recently purchased the property, formerly the offices of a financial business, and was looking for a tenant.

Langlois continues, "I looked at the space and said to Brian, 'This could be a community center!' He just smiled and said 'Yes..."

Details and agreements were worked out, and the vacant building next to the Alibi became the Metro Center, with Metropolitan Charities managing the space. A grant from St. Pete Pride paid for a new laminate floor in the front part of the building. Metropolitan Charities moved into several of the offices inside, and sublet office space to other non-profit groups, including St. Pete Pride and True Expressions, the local GLBT youth organization. "There are four office spaces still available," says Langlois.

Using grant monies provided by the Opler Foundation, Metropolitan Charities hired Joe Santini as Development Director. "My job is to find funding sources to enable us to broaden our services," he says. "It's essential that the Metro Center pays for itself," adds Langlois. "We absolutely cannot use Ryan White and other AIDS funding for anything but HIV-related services."

Santini continues, "We want to broaden our outreach to the entire community, particularly to target the senior GLBT population." With our community's emphasis on youth it's easy for older GLBT folks to feel left out and alone. "We want to bring them in and keep them involved in the community."

"We also want to set up a 'cyber center' with computers and internet access," adds Santini.

One of the ways the Metro Center hopes to achieve their goals is by partnering with the mainstream community to provide services to the GLBT community. For example, Golds Gym teaches an aerobics class at the Center, and Metro Center members get a discount on membership at the Gym. Likewise, the Pinellas County Health Department offers Stop Smoking classes at the Center. Upcoming activities include Country & Western line dancing lessons and a Dance in March, and eventually, a Health Fair, with such things as blood pressure and cholesterol screening.

Metropolitan Charities also offers mental health counseling with fees set on a sliding scale. Lisa Kiebzak coordinates that program, with five Licensed Mental Health Counselors available by appointment. In addition to individual counseling services, the counseling staff offers substance abuse treatment groups and HIV support groups. Confidential HIV testing is also available.

Plans are underway for Metropolitan Charities to become a Continuing Education Provider for Licensed Mental Health Counselors and Licensed Clinical Social Workers. "Our purpose in this is to get mental health professionals to focus on GLBT issues so they can better serve the GLBT community in their practices," says Kiebzak.

"Our goal at the Metro Center is to have something going on every day or night of the week - an alternative to the bars," concludes Langlois." With movie nights, discussion groups for men and women, Bingo, Poker night, aerobics, line dancing and more, they are off to a good start.

The Metro Center has space available for meetings and private functions. Memberships to the Metro Center are available at $15, $45 and $60 annually, with added benefits at each level. FMI click here or call 727-321-5854.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR presented by the Tampa Bay Business Guild

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