Savannah Pride Center

Savannah Pride Center
Founded2017
TypeNonprofit
HeadquartersSavannah, Georgia, U.S.
Region served
Savannah metropolitan area
Executive director
Michael Bell
Websitesavannahpridecenter.org
Formerly called
  • Savannah LGBT Center
  • First City Pride Center

Savannah Pride Center (SPC) is a nonprofit LGBTQ community center based in Savannah, Georgia. Established in 2017, as of April 2026 it is the only LGBTQ center operating in the U.S. state of Georgia.

History

When it first opened in 2017, SPC was named the Savannah LGBT Center. In 2020, the center united with Savannah Pride and Jeffrey's Place, becoming the First City Pride Center. In 2024, under new executive director Michael Bell, the organization rebranded as Savannah Pride Center.

Services

Serving about 4000 people annually, SPC offers services including free HIV testing, support groups, a monthly healing clinic, and an annual healthcare summit. The center is staffed primarily with volunteers.

In 2025, SPC partnered with the Savannah Police Department to train officers on how to respond to hate crimes against people in the LGBTQ community. The initiative followed the shooting death of a gay SPC volunteer, which the police did not report as a hate crime despite SPC calling on them to do so.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Gaffney, Theresa (April 20, 2026). "Even for trans adults, care is hard to find: 'I could not do it on my own'". STAT. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  2. 1 2 Rodriguez, Grace (February 12, 2026). "Savannah Pride Center events at risk following funding cuts". WJCL. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  3. ↑ "SPC History". Savannah Pride Center. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  4. ↑ Ambus, Destini (August 5, 2024). "First City Pride rebrands as Savannah Pride Center with expanded health care services". Savannah Morning News. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  5. ↑ Rodriguez, Grace (October 25, 2025). "Savannah Pride Festival celebrates community amid funding challenges". WJCL. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  6. ↑ Ambus, Destini (March 6, 2026). "Savannah Pride Center hosts summit today despite funding loss". Savannah Morning News. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  7. ↑ Smith, Sarah (April 10, 2026). "Savannah Pride Center gives students hands on experience with HIV testing". WSAV. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  8. 1 2 Payne, Benjamin (May 20, 2025). "Savannah Pride Center, police partner on LGBTQ training to 'turn the corner' on hate crime reporting". Georgia Public Broadcasting. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  9. 1 2 Sorotsky, Brontë (May 21, 2025). "Savannah Police and Savannah Pride Center announce new partnership to support LGBTQ+ community". WTOC. Retrieved April 21, 2025.
  10. ↑ Stansfield, Anna (March 24, 2025). "'There were anti-gay slurs thrown at him before he was shot': Savannah Pride Center calls shooting a hate crime". WTOC. Retrieved April 21, 2026.