Ryan Heffington Instagram – We were unsure when we launched Akbar’s GoFundMe if we would ever raise enough money to get out of debt and reopen. After being closed in March due to Covid-19, we got a $150K small business loan to cover our mortgage payments and see us through the year’s end.
We cannot believe the tremendous outpouring of community support in reaching our initial goal of $150K. We appreciate every dollar, every share, and especially all of your heartwarming messages about what Akbar means to you.
That $150K will only retire our loan debt. In December we increased our goal by $100k with the hopes of using the additional funds to cover our operating costs in 2021, including paying our mortgage, our employees, vendors, taxes, permits, and utilities until enough people get the vaccine and we’re allowed to open at full capacity. Sadly, we don’t yet know at what point in 2021 we will be able to reopen at full capacity – Dr Fauci now says autumn.
While we do not know what the future holds, the love and support shown to Akbar has given us renewed hope. Last month we decided we wanted to share that love by redistributing funds back into the community. 20% of all donations above $150k to Akbar’s GoFundMe will be donated to the TransLatin@ Coalition (TLC), a vital nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles. TLC is focused on changing the landscape of access to services for Transgender and Gender nonconforming and Intersex (TGI) people while providing comprehensive resources and services that will improve the quality of life of TGI people.
Thank you for all your support over the past 24 years. These are trying times for the best of us. Let’s keep helping each other. We hope to be together again soon. | Posted on 08/Jan/2021 04:40:44
