Next Board Meeting: Wednesday, May 10 at 6 pm EDT: Board nominations will occur and bylaws changes will also be discussed at The LOFT board of directors meeting. The meeting will be held via teleconference and is open to all members of The LOFT community. Contact The LOFT's Community Engagement Coordinator Stephen McMahon – [email protected] – for the link or contact The LOFT at (914) 948-2932 x13.
May 1, 2023
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An important message to The LOFT community regarding proposed bylaws changes.
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This year, 2023, is an exciting one for The LOFT as we celebrate 40 years of service and
support for the LGBTQ+ community in Westchester and beyond, and plan for our new
permanent home in downtown White Plains.
As we mark these important milestones, The LOFT will continue to offer in-person, virtual
and hybrid programs, services, and peer support groups, and we will continue to provide
information and practical assistance to help you toward physical and mental health and
wellness.
Also on the agenda for 2023 are some much-needed changes in The LOFT’s bylaws. These
changes will increase operating efficiency, and ensure that we are in compliance with all
applicable federal, state, and local laws and put in place recommended best practices for
non-profits. Links to complete details regarding these bylaws changes can be found at the
bottom of this page.
Here’s the most notable change: The LOFT will no longer have “members.” This elimination
of membership as part of our governance structure will have no impact at all on most of
The LOFT community. Membership has never been required to participate in The LOFT’s
programs, services, and events, and most of our thousands of participants are not members.
We do want to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to all who have
contributed to The LOFT annually and, as members, enjoyed discounts on certain LOFT-
sponsored and other events, and voted on organizational and policy changes at our annual
meeting.
We encourage those who have been members to continue to contribute to The LOFT, where
membership status will be converted to Sustained Donor. We anticipate hosting special
events for Sustained Donors to recognize these individuals’ ongoing support and their very
special relationship with The LOFT.
The LOFT board of directors and staff also want to emphasize that, as always, we welcome
comments, questions and interest in the administration of The LOFT from everyone we
serve. We are committed to transparency in our operations and will keep you informed
throughout each year. We will continue to host open board meetings and to welcome the
entire LOFT community at our annual meeting each June.
In late May, members of The LOFT will receive ballots to vote on the proposed bylaws
changes. Please support the proposed bylaws changes by voting “YES”. The ballot will
include instructions for how to return it by U.S. Mail or to drop it off in person at The LOFT.
In the meantime, if you have questions regarding the bylaws changes, you may submit
them to us at [email protected].
The bylaws changes will also be discussed at The LOFT board of directors meeting on
Wednesday, May 10 at 7 pm EDT. The meeting will be held via teleconference and is open
to all members of The LOFT community. Contact The LOFT's Community Engagement
Coordinator Stephen McMahon – [email protected] – for the link or contact The
LOFT at (914) 948-2932 x13.
Our FAQs, included below, may also be helpful.
From all of us, thank you.
Sincerely,
The LOFT Board of Directors
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many members does The LOFT have? Going forward, how will The LOFT make
up for the funds that would have been raised from members?
The LOFT currently has about 360 members who provide an estimated $3500 in annual
income for The LOFT, less than one-half of one percent of our annual budget. We will
encourage those who have been members to continue to support The LOFT as Sustained
Donors. Membership has never been required to participate in The LOFT’s in-person,
hybrid and virtual programs, which currently serve 9,000 LGBTQ+ individuals and their
loved ones throughout Westchester County and the lower Hudson Valley and beyond, as
well as some 20,000 people each year through our helpline, events, trainings and forums.
Since membership is not required to participate in The LOFT’s programs and events,
why did The LOFT have members in the first place?
Membership was established in the early years of The LOFT, as part of the governance
structure adopted at that time. In those days, The LOFT did not have paid staff or a
comprehensive fundraising operation. Today, The LOFT receives significant funding from
state and local governments, foundation grants, and major fundraising events like our
annual gala. (By the way, be sure to mark your calendars and save the date for this year’s
gala: Friday evening, September 22, 2023.)
Do I need to attend an in-person meeting to cast my ballot on the bylaws changes?
Can I vote online?
Voting will be conducted by mail. Ballots will be sent to all members in late May, and you
will be able to return your ballot by U.S. Mail or drop it off in person at The LOFT. The
deadline to receive ballots at The LOFT is June 26 at 5 pm EDT. Due to practical and
technical limitations, there will be no online voting option for members.
I did not know that The LOFT was moving. Can you tell me more about your new
home?
Westchester’s first LGBTQ+-friendly senior housing development will be built at the
southwest corner of Court and Quarropas Streets, and will include 140 units of affordable
senior housing to downtown White Plains. The new building will include a new 7,000+-
square-foot home for The LOFT, which has outgrown our current space. The LOFT will own
its new space as a business condominium, and our new home will include space for the
Circle Care Center, a comprehensive medical and mental health care provider specializing
in primary care for people living with HIV and the LGBTQ+ community. Click here for more
information about the project. Groundbreaking is expected in fall 2023, and we hope to be
in our new space by the end of 2024.
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Click here for the Proposed by-laws non-annotated version (May 1, 2023)
Click here for the Proposed by-laws w background info & line-by-line details (May 1, 2023)
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