ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Two of the region's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) entities will be merging it was announced today in a conference call with LGBT media.
PROMO Fund, the 501(c)3 entity in charge of outreach and education on LGBT issues and affiliated with PROMO, the 501(c)4 lobbying organization, will merge with SAGE Metro St. Louis effective July 1, 2015.
SAGE Metro St. Louis will become SAGE of PROMO Fund. SAGE has been an active participant and a funded partner in the agency’s LGBT Health Access/Public Policy program. SAGE of PROMO Fund will remain affiliated with Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE), a national organization based out of New York.
In a released statement, PROMO explained the partnership will better equip both organizations for the evolving landscape of LGBT equality. The LGBT older adult population in the U.S. is growing from an estimated 3 million today and will double by 2030. These adults have often been seen as one of the most invisible and marginalized segments within the LGBT community.
Since 2009, SAGE has partnered with PROMO Fund to do education and training concerning health policy. This project to date has produced tremendous gains with this past year alone training over 1,900 employees, resulting in 114 different LGBT-specific policy changes reflected among 48 different hospitals in Missouri.
“We are excited for what this means for both the organization and the community. As we see change happen rapidly, it is important we plan for how that change impacts our organizations. This merger will allow us to better meet the changing needs,” stated A.J. Bockelman, who will remain as Executive Director.
According to Bockelman, there was a lot of overlap between PROMO Fund and SAGE Metro St. Louis in way of fielding resource calls for access to services and specific needs. Last summer, it became clear the two organizations shared programmatic and operational synergies, and initial merger discussions were conducted, with each board greenlighting the steps along the way. In May, the respective boards voted to formally merge.
“This merger provides for SAGE’s core programs of information and referral, advocacy, and community education to expand on a statewide basis,” added Sherrill Wayland. “We are leading the way as the first SAGE to merge with a statewide organization such as PROMO Fund.”
Sherrill Wayland (SAGE Executive Director) will become the Deputy Director of PROMO Fund, and Eugene Potchen-Webb will remain as the Program Manager of SAGE of PROMO Fund. Stephanie Perkins will remain Deputy Director of PROMO, and Andrew Shaughnessy, PROMO Fund Policy Manager, will continue to manage the LGBT Health Policy work. Future plans include extending SAGE programming to other regions of the state.
“In review of the work in front of us for Missouri, the board felt it was vital to take a lifespan approach in order to see equal treatment in all aspects of how we live,” added Kelly Hamilton, Board President, PROMO Fund.
Former SAGE Board Members Heidi Martin, Michael Cole and Angela Curtis join the PROMO Fund board. Additional board members of the former SAGE will become the SAGE standing committee of PROMO Fund.
“At the heart of the SAGE vision is maximizing the positive impact we can have on behalf of LGBT older adults,” said Michael Adams, national Executive Director of SAGE. “By joining forces, SAGE Metro St. Louis and PROMO Fund will ensure that they have the greatest possible impact for LGBT older people across the State of Missouri."