2023 Friendship Feast

History Many years ago, there was a large “Friends Group” in Rome comprised of members of the LGBTQ+ community. They planned many social events and even had a monthly newsletter – The Grapevine – that was mailed out to their members. One of the most memorable events that the friends group held was their annual Friendship Feast – a potluck celebration that allowed everyone to come together to count their blessings with their chosen family. In talking with the original organizers, it was obvious that this event was so impactful for those in the LGBTQ+ community who needed connection and family. Over the years, their attendance at this event rose to over 150 people and became an exciting and memorable event for the LGBTQ+ community and those who loved them.

Where we are now PFLAG Rome has been in existence for just over 2 years. We provide monthly social and support meetings and are active in the community. We work closely with other nonprofits and have just moved into our first brick-and-mortar office at Serve Rome. We have been recognized by PFLAG National and have been nominated for the PFLAG National Chapter of the Year award for 2023. Over the past year, we completed an LGBTQ+ Community Needs Survey and it was noted that social events are important to 100% of participants with 78.8% of respondents identifying that social or community events focused on or designed for the LGBTQIA+ community are “critically important to me.” At PFLAG Rome, we see first-hand the impact that our social and community-building events have. Now more than ever, we want to build this strong community across generations, social status, race, gender, and sexuality. We know that as we head into another election year, politics will become disheartening and the need for a strong community is more important than ever. Our 2023 Friendship Feast aims to bring the community together and provide that support - not just on the day of the feast but building a community that will continue to grow throughout the coming years. PFLAG Rome will be providing turkeys and hams, and all attendees will be asked to bring their favorite holiday dish. We continue our commitment to not charge for our events, and this will be no different. We want to welcome everyone to the table and take the time to count the many blessings that we have in our lives.