October 6 .2000 * just out 27
PHOENIX
Continued from Page 25
a gay counselor, which was a mistake in many
ways because they had trusted their counselors
enough to come out to them and then they felt
rejected when they were sent away.”
Hartman did not have any trouble finding
counselors to work with her. The main focus was
individual counseling, hut she also started group
sessions.
Phoenix Rising also had a speakers bureau
where Hartman talked to groups o f straight
therapists. Her audience was welcoming and
supportive, as some o f them realized they
didn’t have the skills to address gay and les
bian issues.
It wasn’t all serious— people had fun at
Phoenix Rising, too. A favorite program was
unerry rtartman ttnen, rignt,
Women in the WcxxJs, in which as many as 100
and now) was hired
lesbians gathered at Breitenhush Hot Springs for
executive director from 1984 through
in December 1980
a weekend retreat. Men and Women by the Sea
1988, was keenly aware that Phoenix
as the first head
took retreats to the coast.
Rising needed solid financial support
of counseling
And there were dances, too— including the
besides client fees and donations.
at Phoenix Rising
Clean and Sober New Year’s Eve. Most of the
Together, she and Hartman worked
programs were offered on a low-cost, sliding-
toward making Phoenix Rising a Unit
scale fee.
ed Way member agency. It would take years.
pie would stop giving.... It amuses
me now that they are taking on the
Phoenix Rising also operated a thrift shop
“It was difficult,” Hartman explains. “They
Boy Scouts.”
appropriately called Out of the Closet on South
were afraid if they took us on, then a lot of peo-
It took three at
east Stark Street near 28th
tempts before Phoenix
Avenue. The intent was to
Rising gained United
raise money not only for
Way status in 1988.
Phoenix Rising but for other
W ith the status came
gay organizations. The store
$16,000 for the first year.
made a profit during its first
Through the years,
year hut lost more than
hundreds
of people came
$1,000 the next, so it closed
to Phixmix Rising for help.
in 1988.
In 1984, about 30 clients a
Programs reflected issues
month
were served.
of the day such as alcoholism,
By 1994, that number had
childhood sexual abuse,
^
jumped to 200 to 300, and
domestic
violence
and
Phoenix Rising had an oper
A ID S. In the early '90s,
ating budget of almost
Phoenix Rising sponsored
$260,000. 1996 was a peak year
Windfire, a youth support
with 800 client sessions a
group.
month and a
budget of
By 1995, issues relating to
$500,000.
pre-
and
post-operative
All that would change the next
transsexuals were addressed.
year. Funding issues crept hack up
As the ’90s came to a close,
in 1997, when Phoenix Rising had
Warren James’ partner, Jack Abele, right, provided the $ 3 0 ,0 0 0 donation
youth programs became more
a
monthly funding deficit of
that
helped
get
Phoenix
Rising
off
the
ground
in
1978
of the focus.
$ 10 , 000 .
Funding was always an
The organization mailed out
issue. Helen Lottridge, the
zen
Ralph’s
Hollywood
plorist
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E-mail: Staff@Dharma-Rain Org
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about 4,000 fund-raising requests but received
just 25 responses. It was the beginning of the
end. j [ 7 ]
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