Lighthouse Partners With Ridgefield CT Pride For LGBTQ+ Youth Group

**News Release Submitted by Lighthouse**

Dec. 28, 2023

Lighthouse, a program of Kids In Crisis, in partnership with Ridgefield CT Pride, is excited to announce the launch of a free new group in Ridgefield, CT, dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ teens and their allies from the Greater Danbury area. The inaugural session is set for Thursday, January 11th, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM at the Ridgefield Teen Barn, continuing with monthly meetings every second Thursday. This event is free and is open to all LGBTQ+ teens and allies in grades 6th - 12th. Dinner and refreshments will be served. No RSVP is required.

The Lighthouse Program has been successful in servicing the needs of LGBTQ+ teens in southern Fairfield County for several years now. Ridgefield CT Pride has successfully provided social support to the LGBTQ+ community in upper Fairfield County and beyond. This collaboration aims to support further the needs of the LGBTQ Youth in the Greater Danbury area, including but not limited to upper Fairfield County, southern Litchfield County, and Westchester and covering the towns of Danbury, Bethel, Redding, Ridgefield, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown, Weston, Wilton, Katonah, Lewisboro, North Salem, and South Salem.

Kids in Crisis in Ridgefield expands to provide Lighthouse program.

Kids in Crisis provides 24/7 services to Ridgefield families with crisis prevention/intervention counseling and emergency shelter for babies, children, and teens. Kids in Crisis also supports the mental health needs of Ridgefield youth with its TeenTalk program. TeenTalk currently provides 3 full-time Mental Health Counselors to the Ridgefield public school system, with a counselor in Ridgefield High School, Scotts Ridge Middle School, and East Ridge Middle School. Since its founding in 1978, Kids in Crisis has helped more than 138,000 Connecticut children and families; last year, 6,384 children and families received assistance from the organization.

Now Kids in Crisis will launch its Lighthouse program in Ridgefield in collaboration with Ridgefield CT Pride, supported by the Ridgefield Youth Commission and Ridgefield Teen Barn.