Jqy Inc

JQY SUPPORTS AND EMPOWERS LGBTQ YOUTH IN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY. JQY FIGHTS TO ENSURE THE EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS, WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS FROM ORTHODOX, CHASIDIC, AND SEPHARDIC COMMUNITIES. JQY PROMOTES THE MENTAL HEALTH, EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING, AND PHYSICAL SAFETY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS. JQY ENVISIONS A WORLD IN WHICH NO YOUNG PERSON, REGARDLESS OF JEWISH DENOMINATION OR COMMUNITY, FEELS ALONE, OSTRACIZED, OR SHAMED BECAUSE OF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY.

JQY'S IN-PERSON DROP-IN CENTERS ARE OUR HALLMARK PROGRAMS PROVIDINGWEEKLY SAFE SPACES FOR LGBTQ YOUTH AGES 13-23. THE DROP-IN CENTER IS APLACE WHERE QUEER TEENS FROM ORTHODOX HOMES CAN ACCESS SPECIALLYTRAINED SOCIAL WORKERS, GROUP SUPPORT, HEALTH AND SAFETY RESOURCES,FRIENDSHIP AND COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES, AND FREE HOT KOSHER MEALS. THEYARE LOCAL, COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS THAT SERVE TEENS WHO ARE MOSTLY NOTOUT TO THEIR PARENTS AND CONSEQUENTLY, CAN NOT TRAVEL FAR

OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDED A CRISIS LINE, COMMUNITY CULTIVATION PROGRAMMING, AND AFFINITY GROUP PROGRAMS.

THE ADVOCACY AND AWARENESS PROGRAM INCLUDES OUR EDUCATIONAL TRAININGS, ADVOCACY WORK, AND INITIATIVES THAT AIM TO RAISE AWARENESS. MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, EDUCATORS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WORKING IN ORTHODOX ENVIRONMENTS OFTEN FEEL THAT THE PRACTICES TAUGHT IN LGBTQ SAFE-SPACE TRAININGS CANNOT BE EASILY INCORPORATED INTO THEIR ORTHODOX INSTITUTIONS. AT JQY, WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR PROFESSIONALS WORKING IN THE ORTHODOX COMMUNITY TO TAKE PART IN TRAININGS THAT ARE TAILORED SPECIFICALLY TO ORTHODOX COMMUNITIES. TO THIS END, JQY PROVIDES ORTHODOX CULTURALLY COMPETENT LGBTQ SENSITIVITY TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES DESIGNED IN COLLABORATION WITH ORTHODOX RABBIS, LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, AND COUNSELORS WITH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH LGBTQ YOUTH IN THE ORTHODOX COMMUNITY.

JQYU (JQY UNIVERSITY) IS A CROSS-CAMPUS NETWORK FOR LGBTQ JEWISHCOLLEGE STUDENTS. JQYU SERVES AS AN UMBRELLA COMMUNITY FOR QUEER JEWISHCAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS QUEER JEWISH INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS. JQYUHAS DEVELOPED FORMAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH HILLEL'S AT COLUMBIA-BARNARD,QUEENS COLLEGE, AND NYU. ADDITIONALLY, JQYU HAS FORMED APARTNERSHIP WITH THE YESHIVA UNIVERSITY PRIDE ALLIANCE AND HAS BEENCOLLABORATING WITH THEM ON EVENTS AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.THROUGH JQYU, QUEER JEWISH COLLEGE STUDENTS CAN ALSO RECEIVE FUNDINGFOR QUEER/JEWISH EVENTS THEY ARE SPEARHEADING, SHARE UPCOMINGQUEER/JEWISH COLLEGE EVENTS SO OTHER JQY COLLEGE STUDENTS CAN ATTEND,AND APPLY FOR THE JQYU GESHER FELLOWSHIP.