PORTLAND — The Equality Community Center (ECC), located in downtown Portland will celebrate the grand opening of its new home at 15 Casco Street on Saturday, Oct. 16, at 11:30 a.m., with a ribbon cutting ceremony. This will be followed by a free and open to the public block party from 12-4 p.m., to include live performances and DJ, BBQ, cash bar, kids’ activities, giveaways, and more.

Guest speakers will include Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau, Portland City Councilor Andrew Zarro, South Portland Mayor Deqa Dhalac, and Portland’s Poet Laureate Maya Willams.

The block party will also serve as the public kick-off of the ECC’s Building and Supporting Community Capital Campaign to raise $4M. Currently at $2.5M, funds will be used to complete renovations to 15 Casco Street and conduct site planning for a new affordable housing building adjacent to the Center.

With the donated parking lot at 45 Casco Street, the ECC plans to build a 60-unit affordable housing building with parking that will serve LGBTQ+ older adults and other marginalized communities.

According to Equality Community Center, in a news release, when the project is completed, it will be the first of its kind in New England: a community center with programming, community services, and housing all on one campus for the LGBTQ+ community and beyond. 

In its new home, the ECC offers almost 22,000 square feet of office, event, and meeting space. It is a hub for a wide array of LGBTQ+ and social justice values-aligned nonprofit organizations including tenants: EqualityMaine, Maine Transgender Network, Democracy Maine, Khmer Maine, Cross Cultural Community Services, PFLAG and Pride Portland.

It also serves as a programming center for community partners like Queer Craft Maine, the Maine Gay Men’s Chorus, Prevention Action Change, Maine Family Planning, Frannie Peabody Center and more. Since its inception in 2016, the ECC has hosted over 1,500 events for the community and has welcomed over 7,000 LGBTQ+ visitors through its doors.  

The ECC applies an intersectional lens to all its work and believes deeply in the meaningful community connections that can be built authentically by creating a welcoming environment for everyone who comes through its doors, according to the release.

“During a time of heightened attacks on LGBTQ+ rights and young people, increasing social and political polarization and animosity, the Center represents permanence, safety, and inclusive acceptance for all – an accomplishment for the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized people that cannot be taken away,” said EEC.

Betsy Smith, ECC founder, Board Member and Capital Campaign Chairperson said: “The ECC offers a sense of place and pride, is a grounding place for all, and serves as a space for our communities to flourish. The Center is for those who have gone before us, for ourselves, and for those who will come after us.”

For details about the Grand Opening Block Party, visit: https://eccmaine.org/party.

For more info about the ECC’s Building and Supporting Community Capital Campaign, visit: https://eccmaine.org/campaign.