Proud to Thrive for LGBT+ Elders
Proud to Thrive provides free or low cost legal services for low-income LGBT+ Older Adults and Persons with Disabilities across Cook County. Because of a lifetime of experiences, including discrimination, invalidation, and ongoing legal marginalization, many LGBT+ Older Adults experience disparities while aging compared to non-LGBT+ Older Adults and are more likely to have legal concerns.
However, many LGBT+ Adults lack access to culturally responsive resources to address these needs. Proud to Thrive addresses this inequity by providing legal services and implementing monthly legal clinics in LGBT+-affirming locations.
Proud to Thrive provides legal services in the same civil practice areas as CDEL, especially in the areas of estate planning, housing issues, and property tax and title issues, to address concerns held by many LGBT+ Older Adults.
In terms of age for eligibility for services, Proud to Thrive recognizes that lifetimes of intersectional discrimination and oppression experienced by the LGBT+ community may affect life expectancy, and addresses this reality by providing services with an understanding that what it means to be an “elder” in the LGBT+ community is not rigidly age-determinative.
CDEL is a SAGECollab Partner, a network of diverse organizations involved with aging programs and advocacy for older LGBT+ communities, particularly BIPOC elders, transgender and non-binary elders, and rural elders. SAGE is the country’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ older people.
Community Partners interested in more information or scheduling a workshop can reach out to CDEL here.
CDEL is proud to have received a Platinum certification in 2024, 2023 and 2022 from SAGE, Service and Advocacy for LGBT+ Elders.