The Gay And Lesbian Alliance of the Central Coast (GALA) has received a $1,500 grant from the Growing Together Initiative of the San Luis Obispo County Community Foundation (SLOCCF) to develop a Senior Cultural Competency Training program.

The goals of the Cultural Competency Training program are to help health care, social service, and other organizations create inclusive, safe, and welcoming environments for Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender (LGBT) seniors and highlight the needs and concerns of LGBT older adults and the reasons they are less likely to access health and social services.

The GALA - Senior Advocacy program was chosen to receive this grant from the Growing Together Initiative Fund, an endowment held at the SLO County Community Foundation to address the issues affecting the local lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

In only 11 years, the SLOCCF has given out more than $16 million in grants to assist local nonprofit agencies.  For more information on the SLOCCF or any of the funds administered by it, please call 543-2323 or log onto www.sloccf.org.

The GALA - Senior Advocacy program was created in March 2011 as a program operating under the Gay And Lesbian Alliance of the Central Coast (GALA) in San Luis Obispo County.

Goals of the GALA - Senior Advocacy program are:

• To improve the life of LGBT seniors by working with our senior services community.
• To promote inclusive environments that are aware and affirming of LGBT seniors and their families.
• To develop a strong sense of community among LGBT individuals and groups by promoting their participation in GALA-SA sponsored social, cultural, recreational and educational activities.

Current program functions include: the LGBT Cultural Competency (Sensitivity) Training for care giving professionals in our community who work with LGBT seniors, monthly social gatherings for community members, and LGBT community education on aging issues, general community education on LGBT issues as well as inter-generational programs.

To contact the GALA - Senior Advocacy program call 805-541-4252.  We are located at the GALA Center, 1060 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA. Web address: www.ccgala.org.