Aaron Kitchens is executive director of the GLO Center
Advocating with an authentic voice: That’s a key mission of Aaron Kitchens, executive director of the GLO Center. Based in Springfield, the center — the oldest of its kind operating in Missouri — serves the local LGBTQIA+ community through support, resources, education and advocacy.
Originally from Texas, Kitchens is the center’s first full-time executive director in its 30-year history. Along the way, he’s developed different skills (like fundraising) and the nuanced understanding of championing acute needs (from potential food insecurity to mental health concerns) alongside a spirit of hope.
“I think that urgency is oftentimes missing when we’re talking about services for marginalized communities,” Kitchens says. “The mental health and suicide rates in the queer community nationwide, worldwide, are a crisis and should be responded to like a crisis.
“Balancing that with sort of creating a really positive, optimistic, hopeful culture as an organization for our overall community has been an interesting challenge.”
GLO’s work is supported by grants and community partners, including the CFO, which in connection with the Jeannette L. Musgrave Foundation distributed $45,000 in June. The final installment of a three-year grant supports the salary of the community services specialist, a new role that creates programs and partnerships to fill gaps in services to LGBTQIA+ people.
Kitchens says that ultimately sharing an effective message comes back to conveying, in a genuine way, why causes are important — but also doing what you say you will.
“I think that it just really goes back to being authentic with the messaging,” he says. “Then being good stewards and showing that support is actually turning into real tangible impact.”
Who inspires you? Send your suggestions of individuals moving the needle in your community to Kaitlyn McConnell, the CFO's writer in residence, at kmcconnell@cfozarks.org.
