PFLAG (pronounced “P-flag”) stands for Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, and is a registered 501(c) nonprofit organization. There are over 500 local PFLAG chapters across the country and around the world, totalling over 200,000 members.
Our mission is to promote the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer or questioning individuals, as well as their families, friends and allies. We do this through support, to cope with an adverse society; education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy, to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights. We seek to provide opportunities for dialogue about sexual orientation and gender identity, and to act to create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity.
Additional information about PFLAG’s history, vision, structure and more can be found on the About page of the National PFLAG website.
Jersey Shore PFLAG Chapter
Jersey Shore PFLAG was formed in 2004 and serves Monmouth and Ocean counties in New Jersey. Our main role in the community is hosting two monthly support meetings that provide comfort, information and discussion about LGBT issues in a safe, confidential and nonjudgmental environment. We have helped countless parents who were struggling to accept their child after they came out as gay, LGBT teens who were being harassed in school because of their sexuality, transgender people who were struggling with their transitioning process, and LGBT individuals and their loved ones in many other situations. If you or someone you know is in a situation similar to these, we urge you to join us at a support meeting.
We also sponsor a number of other special events throughout the year. Past events have included things like panel discussions for parents of LGBT youth at local libraries, involvement in LGBT awareness training seminars for schools and workplaces, sponsorship of social and cultural events like LGBT youth dances and the NJ Gay Men’s Chorus, and much more. The Upcoming Events page has a full list of special events we are currently planning.
We have provided a set of FAQs on our Support Meetings page to address some of the most frequently asked questions about Jersey Shore PFLAG.
Jersey Shore PFLAG receives Humanitarian Award!
April 26, 2012 – Jersey Shore PFLAG is proud to have received the Humanitarian Award from the American Conference on Diversity! It is truly a great honor to be recognized for our work in the local LGBT community. We would like to thank the Conference for this award as well as all of our chapter members and volunteers, without whom we would not be able to fulfill our mission of supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBT individuals and their families and friends. Thank you!
Our Chapter’s Board Members
Abby Maisonave – President and facilitator of our Ocean County support meeting in Toms River
Dena Reger – Facilitator of our Monmouth County support meeting in Shrewsbury
Cheryl Fulmer – Treasurer
Gregory Pilling – Secretary and Publicist
Barry Fulmer – School Coordinator
Margo Saltzman – Facilitator of our transgender support meeting