The Swingle Family Foundation - First Newsletter - June 20th 2023

 


The Swingle Family Foundation Newsletter


Lighting the Beacon


Edition 1 | June 2023


Welcome to the inaugural edition of The Swingle Family Foundation Newsletter! We are thrilled to launch this platform to share updates, stories, and highlights from our nonprofit’s endeavors. As an LGBTQ-driven organization, our mission is to be a beacon for LGBTQ+ individuals and their rights by participating in community outreach and providing services needed by the community. We hope this newsletter will keep you informed and engaged in the positive impact we are striving to create together.

Foundation Spotlight


In this section, we shine a spotlight on one of our key focus areas and highlight the initiatives we are supporting. For our first edition, we are delighted to highlight our commitment to STD/STI/HIV education and testing. We aim to expand access to free, quality testing for all, regardless of socio-economic background. We are also providing quality sexual health education with assistance from NOVUS Medical Services, local sex education teachers, and information provided by the CDC. 


We believe that real change happens on the ground through the incredible work of some great local organizations. In this section, we want to shine a light on an organization at the forefront of improving sexual health.


NOVUS Medical Services: NOVUS Medical Services is a community-focused health organization that provides confidential services, including STD/STI and HIV testing, PrEP HIV prevention, and PEP treatments, to any individual that comes through their doors. They have five locations throughout eastern Pennsylvania and a mobile health unit bus. This organization also is a leader in sexual health education and provides everyone, including SFF, free condoms. 


To learn more about sexual health education, please visit our website!


Recent Events Recap


Our team here at the Swingle Family Foundation is gaining exposure by attending community events. We regularly appear at the monthly Easton Business Association meeting, where we have formed precious community connections with local business leaders and government officials. 


We made our first public appearance with a table and information on April 29th at the Stewartsville Fire Department spring vendor fair.


Our second event, and our first Pride event, was the Greenway Pride on the Southside in Bethlehem, PA, on May 20th. We had a blast being a part of the inaugural event that was full of positive and loving energy.









We were fortunate to make it into Pocono Pride (June 4th) last second, thanks to Benny of the Stroudsburg office of NOVUS. This was our largest Pride event to date, and it was overwhelming in a positive way. It was a very inclusive event, and we met a lot of awesome folks.  We debuted our handmade pins and mugs with positive feedback.









On June 10th, we attended the first Nazareth Area Pride, which we were very proud to be a sponsor 0f. The day went smoothly, and there was a fantastic turnout. We’re very excited about next year’s event.












On June 14th, Nick, Andrew, Dakota, and Ron attended an Easton City Council meeting where Councilwoman Taiba Sultana proposed a resolution to designate every June as Pride Month in Easton, where the city will celebrate and lift up the LGBTQ+ community. Nick and Dakota were reviewers of the resolution before its proposal. The City Council passed it unanimously.


On June 15th, we sat down with Mark Nutting of the Hello, Eason, PA podcast for a fun interview that was an excellent introduction to his listeners and an intriguing first-time experience for Nick, Andrew, and Dakota. Check out the episode here.


On June 16th (wow, what a busy week!), Nick sat down with Brian Myszkowski of LehighValleyNews.com for an interview about the organization. Afterward, the trio posed for a few pictures at the Easton Public Market and enjoyed some delicious coffee. Check out the article here.


    
  

Upcoming Events


Come out to celebrate Pride and interact with The Swingle Family Foundation at upcoming events:


Phillipsburg Library 100th Anniversary: Join us at the Phillipsburg Public Library in Phillipsburg, NJ, on June 21, 2023, from 4:30p-7:30p. This event celebrates the centennial anniversary of the Phillipsburg Library, where we will be providing community education around pronouns and the importance of safe spaces.  


Washington Boro Pride Day: Join us on June 24th from 2p-5p for the 2nd annual Washington Boro Pride Day. This event will have us handing out our educational resources and selling our handmade pins and mugs.                                                                                                                                            

Slate Belt Pride: Join us at the inaugural Slate Belt Pride in Bangor, PA, on July 22 from 12p-6p! We’re excited to be part of a new event as a new organization. Come out and support us as the Slate Belt!


Lehigh Valley Pride: Come out and celebrate the 30th anniversary of Lehigh Valley Pride at a new location: the SteelStacks in Southside Bethlehem! Pride runs from 2p-8:30p on August 20. Fun times will be had by all at the Valley’s longest-running and largest Pride event!                                                                                                                                   

Supporting Our Mission


We are grateful for the ongoing support of our donors, volunteers, and community partners. If you would like to contribute to our mission or get involved in any of our initiatives, please visit our website at www.sffoundationinc.com or reach out to our team directly. We are always looking for volunteers to assist with events and anyone with nonprofit experience that would help us on the back end of things like grant writing. We are also looking for sponsors! Sponsors can help us attend more Pride events, create more cool merch, build our programs, and sustain our day-to-day operations. 

Stay Connected


Stay up-to-date with the latest news, events, and organization updates by following us on social media:


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sffoundationinc 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sffoundationinc/ (@sffoundationinc)

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-swingle-family-foundation-inc/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sffoundationinc 


Also, keep an eye on our blogger, where we posted our first press release and will post updates as well:


Blogger: https://sffoundationinc.blogspot.com/ 


We were also featured in the summer edition of the Gay Journal. We had a blast chatting with Stephen Libby, and we’re grateful to have been included in this (currently) final edition. Read our article here.



Thank you for taking the time to read our (quite lengthy) inaugural newsletter! We are excited to embark on this journey of making a positive difference together. Your support and engagement are invaluable in helping us achieve our shared vision of a brighter future for all.



With gratitude,


The Swingle Family Foundation Team


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