MILWAUKEE — LGBT community centers across Southeast Wisconsin are struggling to keep their doors open after losing federal funding, forcing one center to close permanently and another to drastically downsize its operations.
The LGBT Community Center of Milwaukee recently downsized to a smaller space near 1st and Pittsburgh in the city's Walker's Point neighborhood after facing significant budget cuts. The center reduced its staff from 17 employees to just five while continuing to serve a growing number of people seeking services.
Watch: How LGBT centers in Southeast Wisconsin are managing to keep their doors open despite federal funding cuts.
"We knew that there was a need to downsize when we lost about $900,000 in federal funding," said Ritchie T Martin Jr., who leads the LGBT Community Center of Milwaukee.
Martin said at least five LGBT organizations nationwide have shut down recently due to similar funding challenges.
"The announcement that came out this week that we had officially relocated could've been a lot different, considering that we have a lot of nonprofits closing all over the country, considering the federal funding impact," Martin said.
The Milwaukee center continues to offer essential services, including a food pantry, gender-affirming clothing boutique, wellness programs, and domestic violence resources. However, demand for these services is growing as access to similar centers becomes more difficult across the region.
In May 2025, the LGBT Center of Southeast Wisconsin in Racine suddenly shut down, citing financial challenges. The closure left a significant gap in services for the Racine and Kenosha areas.
Kyle Johnson, a former board member of the closed Racine center, said community members have stepped up to fill the void. They created "The People's Center," a new nonprofit organization that continues some services like youth programming, though they currently operate without a permanent location.
"A lot of the parents, a lot of the volunteers, a lot of our donors have come in and said, 'hey if you need a space for this group, let us know. We're there. Whether it be a church, a house, a restaurant," Johnson said.
The former Racine building has been sold, and The People's Center is still searching for a permanent home.
"We always knew that the center wasn't this building. It was the people," Johnson said.
Back in Milwaukee, the remaining center now serves people from the closed Racine location with fewer resources.
"Those folks started migrating here, saying hey, we need to get services, we still need services, what are y'all gonna do?" Martin said.
Despite the challenges, Martin remains optimistic about the center's future in its new, smaller location.
"It's larger to us because our doors are still open, we're still here - it just looks different," Martin said.
A request for comment from Congressman Bryan Steil, who represents Racine and parts of Milwaukee County, was not returned.
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