National LGBT Awareness Day, held October 19, celebrates the contributions of and spreads awareness of LGBT Centers throughout the world, that provide LGBT people of all ages with information, psychological services, and sex education.

Founded in 1969, the Los Angeles LGBT Center has served as a haven for LGBT people. The center provides many services necessary for youth in the LGBT area.

Youth Center on Highland, an extension of the Center in LA, provides homeless students with shelter for up to 30 days, and provide temporary residents with clothing and three meals a day.

“A staggering 40% of [homeless youth]  in Hollywood identify as LGBT,” explains Gil Diaz, Communications Manager of the LGBT Center. “Another program we provide to LGBT youth is the Transitional Living Program (TLP) where they can stay for up to 18 months and receive medical care and counseling.”

Bullying and harassment are major problems faced by LGBT youth. The website, Mental Health America, reports that LGBT youth are statistically twice as likely to commit self-harm or experiment with drugs or alcohol. They are also four times more likely to commit suicide than non-LGBT identifying youth. Mental health is a major concern for the LGBT Center.

“[The] Center offers individual, couples, family, and group therapy, as well as psychiatric care. We operate one of the few programs to assist LGBT people involved in domestic and intimate partner abuse/violence and our programs to combat substance,” reads the Health Services tab of the Center’s website.

The Center also provides education services. To combat bullying and harassment, the Center has a charter school, created in collaboration with the organization Opportunities for Learning, for students between grades 7-12.

Adults can also find opportunities for education and job preparation. The Youth Center in Highland provides “GED and [a] college prep program, employment preparation, training and placement program; and whatever support youth[s] need to get off the streets,” Diaz explains.

The non-profit organization relies heavily on the kindness of private donors. The Center needs to raise over $15 million this fiscal year, and an additional $81 million made up in government grants and program fees are also necessary to support the Center’s many programs and services.

“Private gifts are essential to the Center’s ability to respond to the people who turn to us for life-changing and life-saving services. Although the government is the largest single source of funding, it never pays for the entire cost of a program, and some important programs have no government funding at all,” says Diaz. Students interested “can make a donation in someone’s honor, in memory of a loved one, or to celebrate a wedding or other significant life event.”

Non-LGBT identifying youth can also enjoy services provided by the LGBT Center. The 24th Annual Models of Pride Conference offers over 100 educational workshops to LGBT  and allies, aged 24 and under. The event is hosted on the USC campus. Admission to the event is free.