SMYAL, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that provides services to LGBTQ youth in the D.C. metropolitan area, including housing for homeless LGBTQ youth, announced June 30 that it has been awarded a $25,000 award for “courageous actions” in support of the communities it serves.
The award was a financial grant from the Courage Project, which describes itself as “a national initiative that invests in acts of courage and compassion that strengthen our communities and democracy.”
The organization was launched in May 2025 and receives funding and support from major U.S. national foundations, according to a statement on its website.
“At SMYAL, we are deeply grateful for the support from The Courage Project and are inspired by their bold investment in LGBTQ+ youth at such a critical time,” SMYAL CEO Erin Whelan said in a statement. “It takes immense courage for queer and trans youth to just show up as their authentic selves every day, and that courage is strengthened when organizations like the Courage Project stand up for them loudly, proudly, and without hesitation,” Whelan said.
In a statement announcing the award, SMYAL said the Courage Project will honor SMYAL and other award recipients and their accomplishments on July 3 at the Washington National Cathedral as part of a special religious service commemorating the nation’s 250th place.thAnniversary.
“The Courage Project is a bold effort to celebrate everyday acts of bravery – the quiet, invisible acts of heroism that reflect the best of the American spirit and strengthen democracy at the local level,” the project says on its website.
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