Mission of the Salisbury Maryland PFLAG Chapter

PFLAG envisions a world where diversity is celebrated and all people are respected, valued, and affirmed inclusive of their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. By meeting people where they are and collaborating with others, PFLAG realizes its vision through:

• Support for families, allies, and people who are LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning) 
• Education for ourselves and others about the unique issues and challenges facing people who are LGBTQ+
• ​Advocacy in our communities to change attitudes and create policies and laws that achieve full equality for people who are LGBTQ+

Change happens on the grassroots level in local communities. As a national grassroots organization, PFLAG's top priorities include working for safe schools for all students and working to build and support models of inclusion to make PFLAG and our work relevant for all diverse communities. PFLAG works to ensure equal civil rights and protections for LGBTQ+ people and works to help make faith communities and workplaces more welcoming.

Because, together we are stronger.​

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Who Are We

Who we are: PFLAG, originally called Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays" today it is known simply as PFLAG. The organization is a non-profit coalition of LGBTQ+ persons, their families, friends, and allies who provide support, education and advocacy services for the entire LGBTQ+ community and their families. With beginnings in 1972, today PFLAG is a national organization with over 200,000 members in more than 400 chapters in all 50 states in the USA and several foreign countries.

Salisbury PFLAG was formed in 2015, and has been making a difference in the community ever since it was founded. Highlights include: introducing Maryland's first, and only, rainbow crosswalk; assisting in the production of a LGBTQ+ climate survey and needs assessment report; establishing the Rainbow Fun Run and LGBTQ+ Community Fair with the Lower Shore LGBTQ Coalition; collaborating with FreeState Justice to collect information to influence legislative action; working with the City of Salisbury on Pride on the Plaza which included a rainbow flag raising and a formal declaration of Pride Month; working with Preservation Maryland to collect LGBTQ+ history; influencing the passage of a gender neutral bathroom ordinance in the City of Salisbury; introducing Salisbury Pride Parade and Festival in 2020; hosting numerous community building events; and much much more .​ We welcome you to learn more about us and consider joining our family.

Why Salisbury PFLAG?

• Community – We meet each month in Salisbury and are dedicated to providing a forum and meeting place for the LGBTQ+ community, their families, and friends. We also hold a number of additional community building events throughout the year.
• Resources – We offer suggestions for contacts, people, and resources in our community. Some of the best resources are the PFLAG Salisbury members themselves!
• Education - We seek to dispel the myths and misinformation that surround sexual orientation and gender identity.
• Support -We work to keep families in loving relationships by helping them understand and affirm their gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, or pansexual family members. We provide allies with the tools to stand up to the harassment and discrimination against their LGBTQ+ friends and family.
• ​Advocacy -We seek to change hearts and minds, often one person at a time. Though times have changed and there is greater acceptance and visibility of LGBTQ+ people, there is still great need and work to be done to ensure basic rights and opportunities for all individuals regardless of one’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

Rainbow Crosswalk
​Salisbury PFLAG is proud to have introduced Maryland's first, and only, rainbow crosswalk in 2018.

Meetings
​Our regularly scheduled meetings are the second Monday of each month from 6:30 until 8 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at 2812 Old Ocean City Road in Salisbury, Maryland.

Salisbury Pride Parade and Festival
​We are pleased to partner with the City of Salisbury to bring you the Salisbury Pride Parade and Festival

Events
​Salisbury PFLAG maintains a regular schedule of events. We invite you to visit our event calendar and join us. Unless otherwise noted, events are open to the public.

Resources
​We are happy to provide resources to help, support, and affirm our LGBTQ+ community and allies.

We should indeed keep calm in the face of difference, and live our lives in a state of inclusion and wonder at the diversity of humanity." -George Takei​. 

5 YEAR CELEBRATION

2020 marks five incredible years since Salisbury PFLAG was founded by our Executive Director, Dr. Michele Schlehofer. To that end, there has been such tremendous growth and countless accomplishments over that time.

​We are thrilled with not only how far we have come, but also with all that the future holds. We are grateful for all our members and for everyone that has helped contribute to both our growth and our success.

Our work advocating for, and supporting, the LGBTQ+ in Salisbury and across the State of Maryland is far from completed and we welcome you to become part of our exciting, and meaningful, adventure.

​Together We Are Stronger

We are so glad you found us. Whether you are a parent of a LGBTQ+ person, an ally, or a member of the LGBTQ+ community we are here to help, support, and affirm you without questions or reservation.

Get in the loop. Please, sign up to receive our occasional emails. We promise not too flood your inbox.

PFLAG Salisbury is 100% volunteer-run and operates almost entirely on charitable donations. 
If you support PFLAG Salisbury, please consider making a donation by clicking the donate button below.

Executive Director: Michele Schlehofer
President: Mark DeLancey
Email: SalisburyPFLAG@outlook.com