Mormon Church Makes First Donation to LGBT Group

The Mormon Church has made what is believed to be its first financial contribution ever to an LGBT group -- to a Utah Pride Center program that provides food to homeless young people.

The donation grew out of a request for nonperishable food items for the Pride Center, located in Salt Lake City, The Salt Lake Tribune reports. Instead of simply donating food, officials with the church's Welfare Square program decided to contribute money.

Neither the church nor the center announced the amount, but local TV station KTSU reported it was $2,500. The Pride Center's food pantry serves about 40 homeless youths each week.

Pride Center board chairman Kent Frogley told the Tribune this week that he was not surprised by the church's willingness to donate, even though it does not approve of homosexuality. "The Mormon Church has always stepped in where people need help in terms of food and shelter," he said. "They take to heart the mission of helping people who are in need." He said it appears to be the church's first donation to an LGBT organization.

The church, formally known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, welcomes gay members but expects them to remain celibate. In light of last week's Supreme Court ruling making civil marriage available to same-sex couples nationwide, the LDS governing body has sent a letter to all congregational leaders reminding them that the church exclusively supports marriages between a man and a woman. Leaders are to read it to members either this Sunday or next.

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