Lucie’s Place, a safe place for homeless LGBT youth

by Sarah Boone
Journalism Intern

In the United States, 40 percent of homeless youth identify as members of the LGBT community. Additionally, one in four gay youth become homeless the day they come out to their parents. Trying to find an LGBT-specific homeless youth shelter is not easy, but luckily, there is Lucie’s Place.

Lucie’s Place was founded in the summer of 2012 by Penelope Poppers in memory of her friend, Lucille Marie Hamilton. Hamilton was a transgender woman who is described as a “fierce LGBT advocate and a mentor to many.”

The current drop-in center in the heart of downtown Little Rock, Ark., opened in September of 2015. Poppers describes the place as a 500 square foot office building that is being used practically, but in a way that the building wasn’t meant to be used. “That’s the place [the drop-in center] where we house, right now, all of our programming. That’s where clients of Lucie’s Place come for services and support.”

Currently, Lucie’s Place only offers a drop-in center and free counseling; however, Poppers announces that there will be at least one housing program opening within this year. “I would encourage people to check in within this next week. If we have had a big announcement, you will not be able to miss it.”

Until the housing program opens, homeless LGBT youth are able to go to the Lucie’s Place drop-in center to obtain things that are essential to their well-being. “We run a free counseling program. We also offer things like bus passes, cell phones, phone minutes, a little bit of food, toiletries, clothes, socks, underwear, basic stuff that people need to begin the process of getting back on their feet.

“Since we don’t have our own housing right now, we also try to work with folks and figure out what their specific situation is and we help them think through more clearly.

We sit down and help them think about where they can go - which friends or distant family members have couches available or spare rooms or things like that - and we’re typically pretty successful in getting people to realize that they do have options that they just haven’t been able to think about because they’re in a moment of stress and crisis.

After that, we have conversations about what their housing needs are and if there’s a shelter in their area that they can go to, and if not, what their other options are for housing.

“If it weren’t for the community, Lucie’s Place would not be here today,” Poppers says. She expresses her endearment towards the support the LGBT community has given her and her organization. She proclaims that if there are any needs that Lucie’s Place has, whether physical or monetary, the community always provides; likewise, donations are always accepted.

On their website, there is mention of #DefendtheDuggars. Poppers explains that somebody in New York decided to raise money for Lucie’s Place by sarcastically using the “#DefendtheDuggars” hashtag.

“That happened December of 2014. It went viral, as we say nowadays. We got donations from a significant number of countries and every state of America and ended up raising $28 thousand. That single event is what helped make it possible to work forward. That event was the first massive outpouring of support that we have seen. Our community really has made it very known to us that we are appreciated and that people understand the need for us.”

The people welcome to come to Lucie’s Place are anybody from age 18 to 25 that identify as LGBT. Typically, there are about one to five clients in the shelter at the same time. Poppers says that it can begin to feel a little crowded whenever there are five people.

Last year, Lucie’s Place worked with 70 homeless LGBT young adults. Poppers states that they are unsure of how many new clients they will work with this year, as the demographics on Arkansas LGBT homeless youth are unobtainable.

The hours for Lucie’s Place are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. The facility is located at 300 S. Spring St., Suite 803, Little Rock 72201. They plan to be open weekends in the future.

Poppers explains that Lucie’s Place also has events throughout the year. She states that the best way to learn about anything going on within the organization is to sign up to their email list at LuciesPlaceAR@gmail.com, frequently visit their website at www.LuciesPlace.org, or “like” Lucie’s Place on Facebook.

The Gayly – July 21, 2016 @ 7:45 a.m.