Donating to GLSEN Massachusetts

Schools exist to build student's knowledge and to unite communities around a common set of values. Educators today have many responsibilities, but are always focused on building a community of learning to support their students. Maslow (1954) noted that in order for learning to occur, people must feel safe in their environments and have a sense of belonging.

Anti-gay harassment and bullying are an under-acknowledged threat in our schools. The Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey showed that GLBT students were much more at risk of destructive and/or disruptive experiences than their non-GLBT counterparts.

- 40.4% of GLBT students reported attempting suicide in the last year compared to 7.2% of their non-GLBT peers.

- 18.3% of GLBT students required medical attention as a result of a suicide attempt compared to 2.2% of their non-GLBT students.

- 16% of GLBT students skipped school in the past month because of feeling unsafe on route to or at school versus 4.2% of non-GLBT students.

- 19.2% of GLBT students were threatened or injured with a weapon at school versus 5.8% of non-GLBT students.

However, there is also data that shows that proactive work in the school environment makes a difference: The 2003 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey shows that schools with a Gay/Straight Alliance or similar group had significantly lower incidences of GLBT students skipping school because they felt unsafe, lower rates of GLBT students being threatened or injured with a weapon at school and a lower rate of suicide attempts.

GLSEN Massachusetts is one of the creators of the original Safe Schools Program and Gay-Straight Alliance model, and is committed to making schools safe with services and events like the GSA Youth Collaborative Series, the Educator Retreat, the Annual Conference, our Safe-Schools Trainings, our Days of Action, and much more.

Fundraising for local programming is the sole responsibility of our local chapter; we receive no financial support from our national organization. Given the urgent need for the work that GLSEN Massachusetts does in our community, we invite you to help us in making Massachusetts schools safe for all with your generous donations.

Make a donation today.

A big thanks to our sponsors thus far:

::Buffalo Exchange

Interested in gaining sponsorship recognition from GLSEN MA? Check out this information:

Fundraising for local programming is the sole responsibility of our local chapter; we receive no financial support from our national organization. We therefore invite you to help make Boston-area schools safe for all by making a generous contribution to GLESN Boston. Student membership is $15; regular membership is $35. Everyone is encouraged to send as much as they can afford. Please consider donating at one of the Individual or Corporate levels.

Individual Sponsorship Levels

Valedictorian: $5000 and above

All benefits offered below plus:

* Special invitations to GLSEN-sponsored trainings and retreats

Head of the Class: $2500

All benefits offered below plus:

* Two additional complimentary tickets (total of 4) to Jazz and Chocolate, GLSEN Massachusetts's annual benefit event

Honor Roll: $1500

All benefits offered below plus:

* One additional complimentary ticket (total of 2) to Jazz and Chocolate

* Two complimentary tickets to GLSEN Massachusetts's annual conference

* A subscription to GLSEN's quarterly magazine, Respect

Dean%92s List: $500

All benefits offered below plus:

* One complimentary ticket to Jazz and Chocolate

Student Council: $250

* Sponsorship-level recognition in all GLSEN Massachusetts publications, including quarterly e-newsletters, the annual conference program, the Jazz and Chocolate program, and the GLSEN Massachusetts website

Corporate Sponsorship Levels

Superintendant: $5,000

All the benefits offered below plus:

* Two additional complimentary tickets (total of 4) to Jazz and Chocolate

* Presenting Sponsor recognition at Jazz and Chocolate

Principal: $2500

All the benefits offered below plus:

* Logo display in all GLSEN Massachusetts publications

* Logo recognition on GLSEN Massachusetts's school bus at Boston's annual Pride Parade

* Two complimentary tickets to Jazz and Chocolate

* A complimentary overview presentation of GLSEN Massachusetts at the location of your choice

* A subscription to GLSEN's quarterly magazine, Respect

Department Chair: $1000

Click here to make a donation to GLSEN Massachusetts today.

* Sponsorship-level recognition in all GLSEN Massachusetts publications, including quarterly e-newsletters, the annual conference program, the Jazz and Chocolate program, and the GLSEN Massachusetts website

Do you fall under one of these categories but don't receive all of the benefits listed? Please contact us at glsen@glsenmassachusetts.org.