The Encircle house in Utah
Nearly half of all homeless youth are LGBTQ+. This is especially true in areas with a high percentage of fervent religious groups. In Utah, Encircle finds itself trying to make itself a friendly place in a hostile state. Utah has an overwhelmingly large Mormon population, and the church is very strict about homosexuality. They were behind the push to block same-sex marriage rights in California, and frequently expel people from the church for their beliefs or acceptance of others. In these places, where religion has told people that disowning their children or bullying their classmates is okay, LGBTQ+ youth need more support.
That’s where Encircle comes in. What started as just one house for LGBTQ+ youth to come to find shelter, acceptance, therapy, and guidance, has grown significantly. Apple has teamed up with Utah Jazz owners Ryan and Ashley Smith and Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds to contribute as much as $4 million to the charity, with Apple contributing $1 million of that.
This comes shortly after Tim Cook voiced support for the Equality Act, and could represent Apple trying to make a difference outside of tech.
Saving Lives
Apple has always been a strong supporter of LGBTQ+ rights.
Suicide, like homelessness, is common among LGBTQ+ people. When society turns its back on someone, allowing laws that discriminate, pushing them out of sports or school, or leaving them to fend for themselves as a child, many people become hopeless. Encircle claims that their support for these people, who feel like no one has their back, has been enough to prevent suicide among their members. Those who have gone to Encircle for help claim it saved their lives.
“It really did save my life. You could walk right into the house and be surrounded by people who are going to love and respect who you are. It was always there, and you were always welcome. … I started going and it saved my life, and then my counselors at my school found out about it. It was saving other kids’ lives.”
– Micah Toelupe, who went to Encircle for support
Growing and Outreach
More than 10,000 people have come to Encricle for help. There they found, respect, love, and community. Being LGBTQ+ and having no one to be yourself around is a lonely, isolating experience. But having people to turn to for support can make all the difference.
Encircle currently has three houses operating as community centers for LGBTQ youth. Thanks to support, they’re expanding with eight new houses in Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah.
The Trevor project reported that, in 2020, 40% of LGBTQ+ youth had considered suicide due to the increased stress of the pandemic and being forced to quarantine with unaccepting family. That rate was even higher for transgender and gender non-conforming people. However, the Trevor Project says that having even just one accepting adult in their lives can reduce that rate of suicide also by 40%. Studies have shown that accepting family members of gay or transgender children drastically reduces suicide rates to levels seen in straight and cisgender children. Love and acceptance are powerful, and that’s why Encircle seeks to provide just that. With their newfound support, they’ll be able to expand and help more children find acceptance.
One day we may not need charities like Encircle, but in today’s world, they’re as necessary as ever.