PFLAG-National - Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) is a USA national non-profit organization with over 200,000 members and supporters and over 350 affiliates in the United States. This vast grassroots network is cultivated, resourced and serviced by the PFLAG National Office in Washington, D.C. ("the other Washington") with a national Board of Directors and 13 Regional Directors. They have an interactive map of chapters on the website.

The PFLAG-WA-State@yahoogroups.com listserv allows PFLAG members in Washington State to communicate ideas and events through email which are important to all Washington PFLAG chapters. See http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/PFLAG-WA-State/

Also PNW-PFLAG@yahoogroups.com is a listserv for the region (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon & Washington). This is a moderated group, so all messages posted to the group will be approved by one of the region moderators before being mailed to the entire group. To join the group, send an email to PNW-PFLAG-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

Safe Schools: Cultivating Respect

For too many of our children, attending school can be a frightening experience. As parents, families and friends we need to do something to make schools safer for our LGBT and all students. Please join PFLAG by advocating for strong national policies, learning the Top 10 Ways you can Make Schools Safer For All Students, hosting a PFLAG Cultivating Respect certification training in your community, or promoting our national scholarship program.

We each have an important role to play in fighting bullying and harassment, and everyone has a stake in the success of this work. See more on our national website here: http://community.pflag.org/Page.aspx?pid=1011

What is Straight for Equality?
This PFLAG program is about awareness and fairness. 
You don't need to march. You don't need to shout a slogan. But you may be surprised by how effective small changes can be... 

7 in 10 people have a gay relative or friend.
Find out how you can help support them and make your corner of the world just a little (or a lot) better.

Take the pledge!
This is an opportunity - and invitation - to change the world around you and help the gay, lesbian, bi, and transgender people in your life.

Sign the pledge and show your support for equality today.
Find out more - and sign the pledge at  http://www.straightforequality.org/ 

For Parents, Guardians and Family Members of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Two-Spirit, Transgender, Intersex or Questioning Youth - an excellent brochure composed by Carolyn Wagner, past vice-president of PFLAG National, with input from many parents who have known and experienced the challenges and blessings of raising a child whose sexual orientation and/or gender identity is different from their parents, edited by Gabi Clayton.
Two versions - one to read online, one to download and print with room for your organization's name and information on the back page.

   Formatted for printing (153kb pdf format):
   http://www.gabiclayton.com/familybrochure.pdf 

   Formatted for reading online (114kb pdf format):
   http://www.gabiclayton.com/familybrochure-s.pdf

Tapestry-PFLAG-Olympia-Outreach-African-AmericanHistoryMonth
In July 2009 PFLAG-Olympia was chosen to participate in PFLAG National’s new diversity outreach pilot program, Tapestry! We put together a program on Bayard Rustin and Black History Month and this resource packet. (pdf format)

The GLBTQ Trivia Game - We played this at our January 2008 meeting instead of having a program. Everyone learned some things, and it lead to some great discussion. The questions are from information we gathered in various places. We played it by having one person read the questions and we went around in a circle for answers, then if that person didn't know we opened it up to others. After answer(s) were given the person reading the questions confirmed what was said or read the answer on the sheet.

Other Resources

Capital City Pride - Olympia, Washington. Serving as the watershed event of the year, Pride Day marks the civil rights gains in the past year, show cases youth activists new to community work, and honors long time activists for their enduring commitments. On a more personal level, Pride Day is often a mixture of all the milestone events of life wrapped into one, becoming in a sense our Mardi Gras, our 4th of July parade, our biggest political rally, our homecoming, our community-wide ice cream social to bring our families to.

Cocoons - A group for lesbian women who were formerly or are still in heterosexual marriages. Meets on a monthly basis to socialize, share hopes and experiences and support each other while facing the challenges and issues in coping with life after coming out. Meets in Olympia.

COLAGE - a national movement of children, youth and adults with one or more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer parents. We build community and work toward social justice through youth empowerment, leadership development, education, and advocacy. Offers chapters and events nationally, visibility tools and resources for schools and communities, Speak OUT national network of youth leaders,  online communities and more. Seattle chapter here on MySpace.

Gay & Lesbian National Hotline (GLNH) - Nationwide (USA), toll-free information, referral and peer-counseling line for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning people of all ages.  GLNH maintains a huge resource database with local listings for cities and towns all across the country including youth groups, support and social organizations, gay-friendly religious groups, sports groups, doctors, lawyers, counselors and more. They also provide direct-service peer-counseling by telephone if someone is going through a difficult time. Their services are free and confidential. The toll-free phone line 1-888-THE-GLNH is staffed Monday thru Friday from 1 to 9pm, and Saturdays from 9am to 2pm (Pacific time).

Gender Alliance of the South Sound (GASS) - Tacoma, WA - a support and social group for crossdressers, transsexuals and other transgendered individuals, serving Pierce, Thurston, Kitsap and King counties in Washington state - Tacoma, Olympia, Federal Way, Auburn, Kent, Puyallup, Bremerton, Sumner... or any of the other cities in the South Puget Sound region. G.A.S.S. meets regularly in downtown Tacoma, and is open to all individuals who wish to learn more about their own unique inner self, and to meet and mingle with others who are likewise on this voyage of discovery. We welcome anyone upon the vast transgender spectrum: crossdressers, transsexuals M-to-F and F-to-M), intersexed individuals, as well as spouses, significant others, friends and family.

Pizza Klatch offers facilitated support for GLBTQ youth and their allies in Thurston County, Washington. The support is offered during high school lunch periods, with free pizza, to provide a convenient and safe forum for the discussion of topics important to these youths.  Pizza Klatch is a grassroots collaboration between school counselors, faculty, and GSAs (Gay Straight Alliance clubs) from Timberline and North Thurston High Schools; therapists in the community (including an LICSW who consults and supervises all the facilitators every month); PIPE (Partners in Prevention Education); Stonewall Youth; and St. Benedict's Episcopal Church.

Pride Foundation - a donor-supported community foundation which supports transformative philanthropy through programs and initiatives - scholarships, grants, advocacy, and community leadership - that help people find joy and strength. Through in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington State, Pride Foundation donors and volunteers are helping transform our communities and culture.

Safe Schools Coalition - An international public-private partnership in support of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth, that is working to help schools - at home and all over the world - become safe places where every family can belong, where every educator can teach, and where every child can learn, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.

SAGE-Olympia - the GLBT Eldercare project operating in Olympia, Washington. It is a Net affiliate of SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders) USA, the premier GLBT elder care organization based in New York. The SAGE Olympia Mission is to promote the wellness of GLBT elders in the Thurston County area with a range of referrals, services and other activities.

The South Sound Q Calendar lists events of interest to the LGBTQ community and allies in the South Puget Sound region.

Stonewall Youth - Dedicated to providing peer support, information and advocacy for bisexual, gay and lesbian youth and youth who have questions about their orientation, age 21 and under - in Olympia, WA.

Washington Won’t Discriminate - a statewide coalition of individuals, businesses, nonprofit, religious and community-based organizations who have come together to protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Washingtonians.

PFLAG-Olympia member Gabi Clayton has many more resources on her website here.