In December, the Memphis Gay & Lesbian Community Center (MGLCC) announced an ambitious plan to house the city’s LGBTQ homeless youth in temporary shelters fashioned from shipping containers.
“We’re going alter the containers by adding windows and doors and making them into individual living spaces with a bedroom and a bathroom,” said MGLCC Youth Services Manager Stephanie Reyes. “And we’ll have an administration building there with a classroom, where we’ll teach classes on writing a resume, nutrition, and life skills.”
Greg Utterback, who lives out of state and has only visited MGLCC one time, gave the center the funds to purchase property in Orange Mound from the Shelby County Land Bank. The shipping containers will be set up on that land, but MGLCC is still looking for donors to fund the program, which they’ve dubbed the Metamorphosis Project.
On Sunday, February 21st, they’re having their first major fundraising event for the project. The party will be held at the Hilton Memphis (939 Ridge Lake Blvd) at 4 p.m. and will feature live music by Alex da Ponte. There will be a live auction to purchase items that will be used in the housing project. Tickets to the fundraiser are $40 for singles or $75 for couples. For more information, see the event’s Facebook page.
