Doors close at
Austin's only LGBT youth center

Citing a financial crisis, Austin's nonprofit Out Youth, a drop-in center for troubled LGBT teens, closed its doors after 16 years of operation. Frantically searching for grants and donations, Out Youth board members are currently trying to reopen their facility, located in central Austin.

"If we can make it sustainable, that Out Youth stay as an independent organization as it is now, it would rely on community support, even more so than we're getting now from individuals and from the community to support that," said board member Bryant Hilton. "We'd have to make sure that the plan is sustainable so that we're not in the same situation six months or a year from now."

One plan being considered by board members is partnering with another agency for administrative support.

An answering service, (512) 419-1233, is still in operation where youths can leave a message and get a return phone call. The group's Web site, outyouth.org, is still operating and has additional crisis hotline numbers.

While in operation, Out Youth provided counseling, peer support groups, education programs, social activities, and community outreach to Austin's gay teens. (The Advocate)