Sen. Blakespear Presents $1M Check to North County LGBTQ Resource Center

PHOTO: Sen. Blakespear presents a $1 million check to Max Disposti (holding the check on the right), Executive Director of the North County LGTBQ Resource Center, with the center’s staff and supporters in attendance.  

OCEANSIDE, Calif. – Sen. Catherine S. Blakespear, D-Encinitas, on Tuesday presented the North County LGBTQ Resource Center with a $1 million check. Sen. Blakespear was able to secure the funding from the 2026-27 state budget. 

“The North County LGBTQ Resource Center is a beacon of safety, hope and togetherness for members of the LGBTQ community. I am delighted I could secure funding in the state budget to support the center and help it to continue to uplift LGTBQ+ lives, giving them the guidance, support and care this amazing community needs and wants.”

-Senator Catherine S. Blakespear

“In times when the federal government purposely targets our LGBTQ families and individuals by defunding and undermining the role of LGBT Centers, California is standing up for the protection of our Civil Rights. We are so grateful for Senator Blakespear to have championed our request to help us pay down our mortgage lien, so that our donors, staff, and volunteers can focus on supporting programming that address the arising needs in our community.”

- Max Disposti, Founder and Executive Director, the North County LGBTQ Resource Center 

WHY IT MATTERS

The North County LGBTQ Resource Center is a nonprofit organization that provides a wide variety of important services to LGBTQ members and their families throughout northern San Diego County, including mental health counseling, family counseling, drug and alcohol counseling, support groups, meals, legal assistance, and transitional housing and assistance finding and getting housing. The $1 million secured by Sen. Blakespear will help the center pay down its mortgage and free up money to support these services.  

SENATOR BLAKESPEAR’S RECORD

• Sen. Blakespear has continuously worked to secure state funding for impactful programs improving the quality of life in communities throughout northern San Diego County and southern Orange County. In addition to the grant for the North County LGBTQ Resource Center, Sen. Blakespear also secured from this year’s state budget $3 million for interim housing units in Oceanside, $2 million for Vista to operate a homeless shelter and $850,000 for Mission Viejo to remove dead and dying trees and reduce wildfire risk.
• Sen. Blakespear has been a strong supporter of the LGBTQ community. She has voted consistently to support LGBTQ civil rights protections and uphold California values to recognize, respect and support diversity of race, gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation.   
• As Mayor of Encinitas, Sen. Blakespear led the city to become the first jurisdiction in San Diego County to raise the pride flag in June 2019.
• Sen. Blakespear named Jennifer Ianole of Vista as 2023 Senate District 38 Woman of the Year, for her work to support the LGBTQ community. As director of Unicorn Homes in Oceanside, Ianole helped provide crisis and transitional housing to LGBTQ youth who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. 

Sen. Blakespear represents Senate District 38, which covers northern San Diego County and southern Orange County. To learn more about the district and Sen. Blakespear, visit her Senate website.