Savannah Pride Center launching LGBTQ+ veterans support group amid VA program rollbacks

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - The Savannah Pride Center is launching a new support group for LGBTQ+ veterans starting in July, as the federal government rolls back services for that community.

An internal memo from the Department of Veterans Affairs sent June 12 told leaders to stop all LGBTQ+ specific programs by the end of the month.

Organizers in Savannah say the new group is intended to provide a safe, confidential space for veterans and service members to discuss issues tied to identity and military service.

The National Institutes of Health reports LGBTQ+ veterans are twice as likely to die by suicide compared to their peers.

What the group will offer

Jerimiah Gregorio, the group’s facilitator, is a veteran and clinical counselor. He has lost several friends to suicide after their service, according to the script. Gregorio said the goal is to ensure veterans can be themselves.

“If you’re going to risk your life, you should be able to be who you are,” Gregorio said. “We want to make sure that those individuals in our community, or anybody who is a veteran, has that ability to be who they are.”

Gregorio also said he sometimes thinks about whether friends who died might still be alive if similar services had been available.

When and where meetings are held

The Savannah Pride Center’s executive director, Michael Bell, said veterans have approached him with service-related struggles, including deeply personal concerns. Bell recounted one conversation with a veteran who said he was watching entrances and exits and could not stop.

“It takes time for people to open up to what comes next for them, and when they’re ready, we’re here,” Bell said.

Group meetings will be held the second and fourth Wednesday of every month at 6:30 p.m., starting in July, at the Savannah Pride Center.