Brother, Help Thyself, a local grassroots group that provides financial support and resources to assist local nonprofit organizations for the LGBT and HIV/AIDS communities in the Baltimore-Washington area, held its annual reception last Saturday, Jan. 26, at Grand Central in Baltimore, where the group awarded more than $80,000 in grants to 37 different local nonprofits.
The reception, hosted by Command MC, a leather club affiliated with Brother, Help Thyself (BHT), was organized with the help of BHT's secretary, Andre McCarty, the sole board member from Baltimore, according to Jim Slattery, BHT's vice president and director of the Beltway Bears, a local social group.
Some of the local groups honored with grants were the Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League (SMYAL), AIDS Action Baltimore, the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, Charlie's Place, Thankful Paws and the Free State Legal Project.
The grants are funded by money raised throughout the year from federal funds, personal donations, and fundraisers at local bars and events like Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend (MAL).
BHT also gave out four awards to businesses and individuals that had a particular impact on the community, Slattery said.
The DC Eagle won the George Dotson Business Award. The Imperial Court of Washington, D.C., won BHT's Founder's Award. New Ways Ministry was awarded the Billy Collison Underdog Award, for representing the LGBT community well on a limited budget. And Mark Clark, BHT's treasurer, was honored with the Anthony J. Bachrach Award for outstanding volunteer work done by an individual.
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