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Found Family: An inclusive Thanksgiving dinner for people identifying as LGBTQ

When you don't feel welcomed at your family dinner table for Thanksgiving, where do you go? The Found Family Collective is offering you a seat.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The holidays are meant to be a fun time to spend with family, reconnect with loved ones and enjoy a good meal. In reality, that's not always the case.

Thanksgiving can be a time of stress, anxiety and depression.

Not everyone has a place to spend the holidays. The Found Family Collective is working to change that.

The grassroots multicultural, multi-identity group of transgender, gay, lesbian and queer people are pulling out a chair for anyone who needs a seat at a Thanksgiving table. 

The dinner will be hosted at Allendale United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg.

It's the organization's first-ever community event. In a press release, Found Family described the event as a place to come for those who don't feel welcome elsewhere.

"Are you gay, lesbian, queer or trans and not able or willing to go home to your family for the holiday? Are you looking for Found Family to spend time with, heal with, learn with and grow with? Join us at the Found Family Collective for our first-ever community event," the organization said in the release.

This won't be your traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Topics planned for discussion include the history of Thanksgiving and the harm done to Indigenous people and lesbian, gay, queer, and trans history as well as current events targeting LGBTQ people.

Food and games will be provided and guests are encouraged to get to know one another. The event is open to all gay, lesbian, bi/ pan, ace, queer, gender non-conforming and transgender people – no questions asked.

Found Family is encouraging donations from attendees, but no one will be turned away.

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