There are tons of LGBTQIA+ organizations and initiatives in Austin, but local fundraisers tend to favor a few. One is Out Youth, a gender and sexuality-diverse youth community center that's unique for its sense of physical place. On July 24, its Central Drop-In Center experienced what it calls a "catastrophic water leak," and now the organization is asking for emergency support.

Out Youth has launched an online donation campaign to help with rebuilding. Although a release does not say the organization is permanently closed to in-kind donations, it currently does not have space to accept them and would prefer funding for immediate and future needs. The building was insured, but Out Youth hopes to start making repairs right away.

Out Youth says it does not currently have space for in-kind donations.Photo courtesy of Out Youth

The "Little Blue Bungalow" at 909 East 49th 1/2 Street normally functions, as the name implies, as a space for youth to come by for assorted needs, including free and low-cost therapy, and a sense of community. After the leak, though, Out Youth says the space is "uninhabitable." The power and water are both turned off to halt the damage, and a generator is running outside to power drying equipment.

The ceiling reveals the most obvious damage.Photo courtesy of Out Youth

Photos of the damage seem to show ceiling tiles that detached and fell, moisture collecting along support structures like door frames, and equipment obstructing the hallways. Art supplies, library materials, and some computers were also impacted, according to the release. Most irreplaceable is the damage to artwork by youth who have passed through over the years since the house opened.

"This is a devastating loss. Since 1998, tens of thousands of young people have passed through the doors of the Little Blue Bungalow into a safe space where they could find safety, growth, and support as they came of age," says the statement, signed by executive director Aubrey Wilkerson. "We are deeply heartbroken by the impact of this event on our community."

The Little Blue Bungalow in 1998 when it opened.Photo courtesy of Out Youth

Immediately scheduled Drop-In meetings will occur virtually, and therapy sessions will be held in the administrative offices at 3007 North Lamar Blvd. A new Drop-In Center in South Austin will open for in-person meetings on Sunday, August 18. More information is available at outyouth.org.