PHILADELPHIA — July 29, 2008 — Sapphire Fund, a nonprofit serving the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer community (GLBTQ) and Philadelphia’s HIV/AIDS community, awarded more than $34,000 in grants at a ceremony held at the William Way Community Center on Tuesday, July 29.

The funds were raised through Sapphire Fund events and individual and corporate donations. Sapphire Fund awarded $10,000.00 each to the William Way Community Center, Calcutta House, and the Gay and Lesbian AIDS Education Initiative (GALAEI). Sapphire Fund also provided $3,000.00 to Mountain Meadow and $1,500.00 to the Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.

“Sapphire Fund is confident that these grants will have a direct, measurable impact on our community by supporting much needed programming,” said Wayne Hamilton, President of Sapphire Fund.

Sapphire Fund identifies organizations that advance the GLBTQ community through education, advocacy, arts and cultural opportunities; in addition to HIV/AIDS research, education, prevention and treatment. Since 2002, Sapphire Fund has distributed almost $250,000.00 to a variety of Philadelphia-based GLBTQ non-profits, including: The AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania, MANNA, The Linda Creed Breast Cancer Foundation, the Attic Youth Center, Safe Guards, Equality Advocates (formerly the Center for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights), St. Mary's Family Respite Center, Philadelphia Family Pride and the Mazzonni Center.

Sapphire Fund is a volunteer organization, conceived and run by members and supporters of the Philadelphia GLBTQ community. Additional information is available online at www.sapphirefund.org