pride and gratitude

I want to tell you something I do not get to say enough:

Thank you.

This organization gives me as much as I put into it. Definitely more.

We started Gay Social because we simply wanted to bring our community together. That has not changed. But what I did not fully anticipate was how much the community we built would give back to me personally. The friendships. The sense of purpose. The feeling of walking into a room where you can just be yourself, fully, without the mental math of how much to share or how to say it. Your people. No translation needed.

So again, thank you. Pride Month feels like the right time to say it.

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So let me start with the people who keep Gay Social running:

To our board members and advisors

Andrew, Gerry, Jon, Keith, Matt, Pat, Rashad, and Stephen

You volunteer your time, your judgment, and your care for an organization that asks a lot of people who already have full lives. There is a lot of work that happens behind the scenes that most people never see, and you give your time to it anyway. I am grateful for how seriously you take this work, for trusting the vision enough to help carry it, and for the impact you have made on this organization. We would not be where we are today without you.

To our Gay Social Community Managers

Alberto, Alex, Billy, CJ, Collin, Nick, Phil, Rocky, and Sheldon

Although the Community Manager program is still somewhat new, the work is not. Many of you were already showing up for people, learning names, and making sure no one stood alone before we ever formalized it. You are the reason people leave their first Gay Social event knowing someone, and the community is warmer because of you.

To our Social Media Manager

Julio

You keep Gay Social visible and connected. You understand the voice, the people, and the instagram inbox that never stops. You bring real dedication to this role and it shows. I appreciate you more than I say.

To our venue partners

Clydz, Howling Basset Books, Project P.U.B., Scout's Coffee Bar, Sugar Tree Cafe, The 244 Spot, The Coffee Box, The Laundromat

You opened your doors to us and made space for this community to gather. You host us when we have 150 people and when we have 10. We would not have a place to bring these community events without you.

To our sponsors

Avalon Communities, Endeavor Auto, Fred Astaire Studios in Chester, Bossa Massage & Wellness, Dhyana Yoga, State Theater New Jersey, Turning Point Restaurants, and Wegmans

Your support makes it possible for us to nurture this community across New Jersey.

And to our individual donors and community contributors

You invested in something you believe in. That means everything to a nonprofit that runs on community trust as much as anything else.

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And to the entire Gay Social community...

You are why any of this matters.

I know what it feels like to walk into a room where you do not know anyone and wonder if you made the right call showing up. I know what it feels like to want a local circle and not have a clear path to one. We built this organization because we felt that gap and could not stop thinking about it.

What I did not expect is how quickly the community would outgrow anything I imagined for it.

People found each other here. They made plans that had nothing to do with a scheduled event. They showed up for each other outside of Gay Social spaces because the friendships became real enough to travel outside of them. Someone walked into a coffee meetup and called it gay history. That is not a line I wrote. That is what this community actually is.

You did that. We did that together.

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Pride is about celebrating who we are and who we get to be together. That is something worth being loud about.

So let me close with this.

Thank you for trusting us with your time, which is not a small thing to give. Thank you for bringing a friend. Thank you for coming back after the first time. Thank you for being the person in the room who made it easier for someone else to stay.

I am so proud of this organization. Not just because of our event count. Not just because of how far our reach has grown across New Jersey. But what I am most proud of is simpler than any of that.

The community. The friendships. What happens when people meet.

That is what we are building. That is what you are part of.

HAPPY PRIDE 2026!

Your friend,

Lloyd Van Vliet

Co-Founder & Executive Director