Since 1993, The Attic Youth Center has established itself as one of the most important community-based organizations in the United States dedicated exclusively to supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ+) youth. Located in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia, the organization works to help young people develop into healthy, independent, and civically engaged adults within a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment.

Its mission is rooted in a persistent reality: many LGBTQ+ youth continue to face prejudice, discrimination, and exclusion in their daily lives circumstances that often leave them feeling vulnerable and isolated. In response, The Attic provides a space of belonging where each young person can feel seen, heard, and supported, while gaining essential tools for their personal, academic, and professional futures.

From a small attic group to a national model

The Attic Youth Center began as a modest initiative led by two graduate students, Daren Wade and Carrie Jacobs, who in 1993 organized a pilot after-school support group for LGBTQ+ youth in the attic of Voyage House, a social service agency in Philadelphia. In just eight weeks, 41 young people participated in the program, dispelling the belief that “there are no gay youth” and highlighting the urgent need for such spaces.

For more than a year, the group operated without funding, sustained by the commitment of the youth and its founders. During that time, the Youth Planning Committee was formed, becoming the foundation of The Attic’s youth governance model, along with the Attic Speakers Bureau, which later evolved into the Bryson Institute—now focused on education and training.

By the late 1990s, the organization experienced significant growth. Services expanded to include leadership programs, summer internships, youth retreats, and artistic initiatives such as Thespians and Drama Queens, a socially conscious theater troupe. In 1999, The Attic formally incorporated as an independent nonprofit organization, and in 2000 it acquired its current building on South 16th Street, where it continues to operate today.

Impact, Services, and Community

Since its founding, more than 20,000 LGBTQ+ youth and allies have walked through the doors of The Attic Youth Center. Today, the organization offers a wide range of programs, including academic support, life skills development, case management, access to technology, paid internship opportunities, and a comprehensive mental health program grounded in an LGBTQ+-affirming approach.

The counseling department provides individual, family, and group therapy for youth up to age 23, addressing issues such as anxiety, depression, coming-out processes, family conflict, trauma, and stress. In addition, The Attic promotes community engagement through social events, cultural activities, and participation in citywide celebrations and public health initiatives.

For Jasper Liem, a licensed clinical social worker and executive director of the organization, the value of these spaces is essential. “Even if they go to a school where there are other LGBTQ youth or students, it’s different to be in a place where you know everyone is part of your community,” he has said when explaining the organization’s purpose.

With more than three decades of history, The Attic Youth Center continues to serve as a beacon of support, resilience, and hope for generations of LGBTQ+ youth in Philadelphia—demonstrating that when a community invests in its young people, it also invests in a more just and inclusive future.

The Attic Youth Center will participate in the Philly Gives campaign from November 1 to December 31, 2025. All donations made through phillygives.org will go directly to the selected nonprofit organizations, ensuring that 100% of the funds support essential programs.