Info-line & Messages: (708) 848-0273
FAX: (708) 848-7544
E-mail: info@opalga.org

OPALGA strives to foster a community wide understanding of the issues that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people face through direct outreach and interaction with local community organizations.

OPALGA provides direct services for youth that includes a weekly-drop-in center, HIV education and prevention, and information that improves the well-being of area youth. OPALGA has also hired a professional director to oversee these youth programs.

• Communications: Produce publications including: Empower, our OPALGA newsletter; our monthly calendar; Peripheral Visions, our literary journal and announcements.
• Membership: Develop and serve the needs of OPALGA members
• Social: Plan ongoing social programs and special events
• Cultural Arts: Sponsor exciting cultural events such as concerts and our annual gay/lesbian pride festival
• Public Policy: Advocate for community involvement, justice and civil rights
• Youth/Young Adult: Work with schools about gay and lesbian student issues; operate Prism and Spectrum, OPALGA's youth drop-in centers; and our newest group, ALAS a Latino men's drop in center, and our new Women's Only night every month.
• Education and Outreach: Disseminate OPALGA information around the community and plan educational programs.
• Fundraising: Participate in developing OPALGA's financial base
  

• The Village of Oak Park established a Domestic Partnership Registry for same-sex couples.
• The Village of Oak Park extended Domestic Partnership Benefits to same-sex partners of Village employees.
• The Village of Oak Park amended its Human Rights Ordinance to bar discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment (by the Village and Village contractors), housing, and public accommodation.
• The Oak Park/River Forest High School amended its Human Dignity Policy to protect lesbian, gay and bisexual faculty, staff and students from discrimination based upon sexual orientation.
• Prism Youth Network offers weekly drop-in centers for sexual minority youth ages 14-18. Youth attend from over 35 suburban communities and Chicago’s west side.
• Spectrum Young Adult Network offers weekly drop-in centers for sexual minority youth ages 18-24. Young adults attend from over 35 suburban communities and Chicago’s west side.
• Amigos Latinos Apoyando Siempre (ALAS) is a new program for Latino men who live in the western suburbs and believe they are gay, bisexual, transgendered or questioning.
• We have women only (ages 14-24) space each month on the 4th Wednesday of every month.
• OPALGA provides education, outreach, and training to scores of organizations and groups. We provide speakers for high school and college classes throughout the western suburbs.
• OPALGA sponsors and produces many social and cultural events aimed at the Oak Park community at large, including Cultural Arts Festivals, cabarets, literary publications and readings.
• OPALGA hosts monthly potlucks for members and canned good drives for local food pantries.
• OPALGA interacts with local community organizations such as the NAACP and the Community of Congregations to provide diversity and anti-hate public forums

OPALGA has been recognized for over 10 years as the voice of the gay, lesbian and bisexual community in the near-western suburbs. We represent a place for like-minded people to come together and experience a real sense of community involvement.