The San Diego LGBT Community Center, which today serves 25,000 people a year, started as a telephone answering machine in Jess Jessop’s house in 1971. If you had a question or problem, you’d call the number and someone would call you back. A year later a group of dedicated San Diego lesbians and gay men gathered in a private home in Point Loma with the dream of creating a center of the community. They met once a week for two years, deciding everything by consensus.

The answering machine, having made the rounds of various activists’ closets, was still around in 1972 when it was moved to a room provided by the Metropolitan Community Church. Local bar owners donated money and gave fund-raising parties, and, by September 1973, the first Center was ready to open. It was called The Center for Social Services because, at the time, it was believed that a name with “gay” or “lesbian” in it could hurt the organization’s ability to get the IRS’ not-for-profit status. Also, in those years, donors did not like to write checks using these words.

The Center’s first home was a two-story, ten-room house at 2250 B Street in Golden Hill. The answering machine came along and, when the telephone technician installed the equipment, he came out to them. Shortly thereafter he became a Center volunteer. From the start The Gay Center focused primarily on military counseling and running a telephone hotline. During the week women and men met in self-development groups and one night a week they would party. The Center moved several times, once, during a very lean time, to a vacant garage, but the phone machine was never turned off!

In 1980, The Gay Center, having now been renamed the Lesbian and Gay Men’s Community Center, moved to its home at Fifth Avenue and Robinson. There, over a 12-year period, The Center grew from one room for phone counseling to 12 rooms with 50 volunteers and a staff of 9 serving 1200 people a month. Needless to say, it was bursting at the seams. The happy solution was the move to 3916 Normal Street in September 1992.

By late 1998, The Center was once again expanding its programs and services for the LGBT and HIV community. In July of 1999, The Center moved from Normal Street to Centre Street and began plans for renovation.

In July 2000, the Hillcrest Youth Center opened its doors and instantly became a critical resource for LGBTQ youth in San Diego. The Youth Center is the only drop-in center of its kind in San Diego County. It serves as a safe and affirming place where youth can come and express themselves and meet others as well as gain access to social and educational resources.

In July 2003, interior and exterior renovations were completed and Center doors reopened. That same summer came the creation of two flagship programs of The Center: the Women’s Resource Center, offering LBT women and their allies access to important health and social resources and referrals; and the 50 and Better Club, providing important health, financial and social resources for LGBT seniors.

Program expansion continued in 2004 with the launch of the Latino/a Services Project, which provides culturally-affirming drop-in space, support groups and social programs for LGBT Latinos and their families.

In February 2006, The Center opened the Youth Housing Project. Four years in the making, this cutting-edge program is one of the first of its kind in the United States. The Youth Housing Project provides 23 units of permanent, supportive housing for homeless LGBT and HIV+ youth between 18-24 years of age. These high-risk youth have been living on the streets or in public spaces, many after having been ejected from their homes because of their sexual orientation.

In May 2007, Family Matters, the only organization in San Diego County providing programs and services for LGBT-headed families as well as those considering parenthood, became the newest program of The Center.

May 2008 – The California State Supreme Court overturned same-sex marriage ban as unconstitutional and discriminatory. Out of state opposition poured millions of dollars into a campaign to support an anti-marriage equality state constitutional amendment on the November ballot.  The LGBT community geared up for the most important civil rights fight in its history.

November 2008 – Proposition 8 passed by a narrow margin and the California Constitution was amended to restrict marriage to one man and one woman. Marriage equality supporters immediately filed a legal challenge, arguing that the amendment was actually a revision, which would require legislative approval before being put on the ballot. The Calilfornia Supreme Court agreed to hear the case.

March 2009 – The California State Supreme Court heard oral arguments, with a final ruling due within 90 days.

Today, The Center serves more than 25,000 community members each year, with over 300 volunteers and 40 staff members. With your ongoing support, The Center will continue to create, empower and sustain San Diego’s LGBT and HIV communities.