Our History
Early Days
In 2010, Kathleen Coggin, Director of In-Home Care and Caregiver services at Family Eldercare (FEC), spearheaded the launch of a new service program, the Austin Gay and Lesbian Senior Services (AGLSS). Kathleen credits Robert Cross along with FEC Board chair, Cheryl George, as integral in planting the seed for AGLSS and jump starting its inception. This program provided open and accepting social services, training, resource guides, and advocacy to meet the unique needs of the LGBTQIA2+ older adult community.
2010
In 2011, Cheryl Young, LCSW-S, and Lisa Daly, MAT, developed and presented training programs for Family Eldercare care attendants to provide awareness and improved care to Family Eldercare home care clients. Between 2011 and 2020 AGLSS staff offered a variety of trainings addressing the needs and honoring experiences for the older LGBTQIA2+ population. These trainings have been presented at the Texas Guardianship Association, Steve Hicks School of Social Work, Greater Austin Social Workers, Assisted Living Facilities, and several times at FEC.
2011
In 2014 they created a Resource Guide for LGBTIA2+ & Aging in the Austin Area.
2014
In 2017, Austin LGBTQIA2+ Elder Task Force (ETF) was created and co-founded by World Famous *BOB* and Richard Bondi after being connected through SAGE USA. Both *BOB* and Richard had the vision of bringing a SAGE affiliate to Austin. Within the first 2 weeks of meeting, they hosted their first SAGE table at the Jewish Community Center in Austin. Since 2017, ETF has held or co-hosted more than 100 free events. The most popular being Campfire Queer Story Time. Some other events include Story Hour, Over the Rainbow Comedy Show, Trail of Lights Holigay Walk, SAGE Benefit Draglesque Show, Zoom Social Hour, Queer Prom, and many more. During the COVID-19 pandemic they shifted from in-person events to virtual events.
2017
Coming together for change
In October 2019 *BOB*, Richard, Lisa, Cheryl, and Fred Lugo of Coming of Age held a joint meeting to discuss their commitment to expand Two-Spirit LGBTQIA+ services in the Austin area. As soon as November 2019, the first official meeting of ETF and AGLSS staff occurred, where they discussed becoming an Austin SAGE Affiliate. That same month ETF hosted a SAGE Table at Lyons Gardens, FEC’s deeply affordable housing community for older adults ages 62+ in East Austin and was the best attended event to date!
2019
It was determined that AGLSS programming and the strong commitment to serve the Two-Spirit LGBTQIA+ community were a good match with ETF and the requirements for the SAGE application. In June of 2021, ETF and AGLSS came together with a Memorandum of Understanding to create the first ever SAGE affiliate in the state of Texas right here in Austin.
2021
What’s in a name?
To support those efforts, FEC started applying for grants. On March 9, 2022, FEC was awarded significant funding to start the process. In the same 48 hours they were notified by SAGE USA that they would no longer be offering SAGE affiliations and discontinued all but three of their existing affiliates. It was time to chart a new course! We realized the need to combine ETF and AGLSS and Rainbow Connections ATX was born! On May 23, 2022, World Famous *BOB* and Richard Bondi officially started their positions at Family Eldercare in the Rainbow Connections ATX program under the management of Cheryl Young, LCSW-S, and Director, Joyce Hefner, LMSW. They held their first public event at Older American’s Month celebration.
Since then, RCATX has been busy getting the word out about June Pride Month plans and activities. They attended Round Rock Pride, Rainbow on the Creek at Waterloo Park, LGBTQ+ Caregiver Conference, Pflugerville Pride, Taylor Pride, Colors of Pride Festival, Austin Pride parade, and Campfire Queer Story Time where they launched the first ever Fans for Pride. Fans for Pride raised $4,198.00 for the FEC Summer Fan drive!