For nearly 50 years, Lyon-Martin Community Health Services has provided essential care to trans, non-binary, intersex and queer communities. Facing displacement, they need your support to build a permanent home.
Donate or shop to Save Lyon-Martin to preserve their legacy and ensure continued access to vital healthcare and services.
CAMPAIGN HISTORY
In February 2020, HealthRight360 proposed to move Lyon-Martin Health Services & Women’s Community Clinic to their Integrated Care Center. This move would have resulted in a 90% reduction in clients served and staffing.01 diversify funding Streams
From March-June 2020, we organized a petition and a rally by phone campaign asking the city to step in to provide financial assistance to prevent the proposed move to HealthRight360’s Integrated Care Center and reductions in capacity. We established a GoFundMe campaign, partnered with local artists to create an online shop, and hosted monthly digital benefit parties to raise money to support Lyon-Martin.
RESULT
Almost 1,000 community members and organizations signed on our petition and contacted the Mayor’s office to advocate on our behalf. The San Francisco Department of Public Health provided temporary financial assistance to sustain Lyon-Martin’s services from May-July 2020. In July, this agreement was extended to March 2021. Ultimately, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors granted us $1.2M/year for two years (2020-2022) to establish a funding stream to restore our staffing and support our separation from HealthRight360 to become an independent clinic again! In 2023, this turned into a $1.7M/year 10 year grant that will sustain us well into the future.
In 2021, the Board of Supervisors granted an additional $750K of capital support to help Lyon-Martin move to a new location.
We raised $150K in small donations! Because this money is coming from the community, we want to ensure it is used in the most intentional and impactful way possible. As requested and voted on by Lyon-Martin staff and community members, in January 2021, we created a “Save Lyon-Martin Sustainability Fund” at the San Francisco Foundation. The donations through Save Lyon-Martin will not be used to cover past deficits, but, rather, to sustain our future in a financially responsible, long-term way. Ultimately, it was used to support our first start up costs as an independent clinic.
After becoming independent, we obtained $4M/year in new grant funding in our first years in operation!
02 REGAIN INDEPENDENCE
Lyon-Martin and Women’s Community Clinic staff voted to embark on a journey to regain organizational independence from HealthRIGHT 360 together and reinvest in our roots as a by us, for us clinic.
RESULT
We secured our own independent 501c3, board of directors, clinic licenses and electronic health record, Epic. Lyon-Martin’s name, mission and values were revised to reflect the merger between Lyon-Martin Health Services and The Women’s Community Clinic. Now as Lyon-Martin Community Health Services, we re-built our infrastructure, staffed up our medical, mental health, and outreach departments and expanded specialty care services.
We raised staff salaries to a living wage, provided full benefits at a minimum of 16 hours of work per week, and decreased productivity expectations to allow for better work-life balance. We hired from the communities we serve across all departments and now our staff are 100% Queer, 80% Trans, and 67% BIPOC. We are home to the largest number of providers of trans experience in the world.
03 OBTAIN FQHC STATUS
We applied for Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Look Alike status as soon as we were eligible. FQHC status allows community health centers to bill Medi-Cal at enhanced rates creating better financial sustainability.
RESULT
In May 2024, Lyon-Martin officially became the first trans-led FQHC in the country!
04 SECURE OUR FOREVER HOME
Now that we are financially solvent, we are setting our sites on securing Lyon-Martin’s Forever Home in the Lesbian Corridor of the Mission District, where we have always resided.
RESULT
We have a lease to own agreement to renovate and acquire a new building on Valencia Street with a fixed purchase price for the next two years. Our capital campaign goal is to raise $2M by July 1, 2024 and we are engaged with lenders to finance the construction project. Our goal is to move to our new home in Spring 2025!
On March 16, 2022, Lyon-Martin successfully SEPARATED FROM HEALTHRIGHT360 and is now operating as aN INDEPENDENT 501c3 non-profit clinic run by and for QTI communities.
WHAT’S NEXT?
We are planning to move to our new home at 225 Valencia Street! Our current building, 1735 Mission St, is in the process of being sold to a major developer. Lyon-Martin has partnered with the Office of Trans Initiatives, the City and County of San Francisco, St. Francis Foundation, Community Vision, Equity Community Builders, and a number of committed and passionate QTI community members and organizations who are supporting this effort.
We need your help! Please donate to help support our move to a new state of the art QTI-focused Community Health Center!
Upcoming events
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OPEN HOUSE
WEDNESDAY JUNE 12
9AM-10:30AM
225 Valencia Street
Have coffee with our Executive Director and tour the new space! -
FUNDRAISING WEBINAR
THURSDAY JUNE 20
7PM-8PM
Lyon-Martin’s board of directors is hosting a virtual fundraising event. Learn about our history and impact and how you can support our capital campaign. -
Pride Benefit Party
FRIDAY JUNE 28
SOMArts, 934 Brannan Street, SF
8PM Doors to Midnight
Join us for a night of performances, dancing, and, of course, Lyon-Margaritas!