Rainbow Railroad focuses on assisting LGBT people who have faced physical violence or face an imminent threat of violence, imprisonment, or death. They receives hundreds of requests for help every year from countries where LGBT individuals are open targets of violence. At any given time, Rainbow Railroad is working on 30-50 open cases, confirming their details, putting them in touch with local resources and helping them identify safe routes for escape. As the situation worsens in many parts of the world, these numbers continue to grow.
They have been successful in helping individuals from the Caribbean, Africaa, Middle East and Chechnya where they have local networks to support and validate cases. Sarah Hunter who oversees the K.M. Hunter Foundation) notes, “Their original appeal was to fund one person to safety at a cost of $5,000 and in an unprecedented move our board of directors unanimously voted to support their work that year. This year our contribution went towards helping relocate an LGBT Chechnyan.”
K.M. Hunter Foundation has been a supporter of Rainbow Railroad for the past three years for a total of $15,000. Last year, the Foundation donated over $370,000 in grants to community-based projects. If you can make a donation to Rainbow Railroad, please do.