The Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Center has been a beacon of support and advocacy for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) individuals and families since its inception in 1969. Today, it stands as the largest provider of services for LGBTQ+ individuals worldwide, operating from nine facilities throughout L.A. County. With a dedicated team of over 800 staff members, the Center delivers a wide array of programs, services, and advocacy efforts across health, social services, housing, culture, and education, all at little to no cost.
Among its extensive offerings are specialized health services, including primary care, HIV/AIDS treatment, transgender health, women’s health, and mental health support. The medical professionals at the Center are well-versed in the unique challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community. Thanks to the partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS), the Center has enhanced its ability to serve the community and fulfill its mission.
A significant focus of the Center is on youth experiencing homelessness, with approximately 6,000 young people (aged 24 and under) living on the streets of L.A. on any given day, of which about 30 percent identify as LGBTQ+. The Center provides essential resources, including daily meals, clothing, support groups, an onsite charter high school, GED and college preparation, job training, and medical care.
Additionally, the Center addresses the needs of LGBTQ+ seniors in L.A., where an estimated 65,000 individuals aged 64 and older reside, with 68 percent living alone. Due to various factors, including lower rates of familial support, these seniors often struggle with housing and other essential needs. The Center’s Senior Services include Triangle Square, the first affordable housing development specifically for LGBTQ+ seniors in the world.
Beyond offering social services, the Center is committed to advancing civil rights for LGBTQ+ individuals both locally and globally through education, advocacy, and community organizing. Efforts include lobbying for policies that promote health and wellness within the community, leadership training for activists, and providing technical assistance to LGBTQ+ organizations nationwide.
Leveraging Amazon Connect for Enhanced Community Support
About four years ago, the health services team at the Center tasked me with launching a call center to handle inquiries regarding health services from community members. At that time, our understanding of what a “virtual call center” entailed was limited, so I began researching options.
In our exploration, we discovered Amazon Connect, a cloud-based omnichannel contact center service. With over 30 years in the software industry, I recognized the complexity typically associated with call center technology. Initially, I worried that the technology would hinder our progress, but within minutes, I was able to create a call flow that replicated our existing phone system. By the end of that week, we had a fully functional call center operational for our health services.
The ability to customize a system to suit our organizational and community needs is exceptional. We transitioned from concept to a fully deployed, scalable, secure, and adaptable solution practically overnight, allowing us to allocate resources directly to our mission.
Our call center serves as the primary point of contact for individuals seeking our services but unable to visit our facilities. Depending on the time of day, we receive hundreds of calls related to appointments, prescriptions, or mental health services. Currently, we have over 50 staff members utilizing Amazon Connect to assist clients, with our clinic serving more than 30,000 individuals. The growth we’ve experienced over the past year has been significant, and with AWS’s support, we’ve managed to meet our clients’ needs throughout the challenges posed by COVID-19 without increasing our call center staff.
Rapid Scalability for Special Events
In addition to regular operations, we established an event-based call center to manage the surge of inquiries during our inaugural televised fundraising event. Partnering with local station KTLA, we hosted a live telethon that successfully raised nearly $1.3 million, marking a historic achievement for the organization.
This telethon resulted in an influx of calls from donors and supporters. Thanks to AWS and Amazon Connect, our call center infrastructure effortlessly scaled to accommodate the increased demand. Amazon Connect allowed us to adjust our contact center capabilities in real-time, ensuring we only paid for the capacity we needed, with no upfront costs. This flexibility enables us to manage day-to-day operations while also adapting quickly to unique events like the telethon.
The support from AWS has been invaluable, granting us access to resources that help us fulfill our mission more efficiently. Our collaboration with the AWS team has not only enhanced our understanding of cloud services but has also connected us with other nonprofits who have successfully leveraged the cloud for their benefit. This is another blog post that offers further insights into effective strategies for nonprofits.
Harnessing Cloud Solutions for Community Support
Cloud technology provides nonprofits and NGOs with powerful tools to scale and achieve their mission objectives. Services like Amazon Connect allow organizations to streamline their support efforts and adapt their operations to better serve their communities.
For more stories about how organizations are optimizing their contact centers through cloud technology, check out this article where experts delve into the transformative potential of Amazon Connect. Additionally, if you’re looking for an excellent resource for training, you can explore this opportunity.
Nonprofits and NGOs worldwide are enhancing their impact using AWS. The AWS Nonprofit Credit Program provides financial assistance to help organizations implement cloud-based solutions. Consider applying to this program to embark on your cloud journey.
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