Macon Pride launched its inaugural “Summer of Giving” campaign, a months-long initiative created to “uplift Middle Georgia through hands‑on service, creative collaboration and community‑driven fundraising.”
The organization said in a press release that the campaign reflects its broader commitment to year-round community engagement (alongside its annual Pride festival, slated to return this year on Sept. 24-27), rooted in its mission to educate Georgians, celebrate diversity, commemorate history and support LGBTQIA+ individuals.
According to Macon Pride, Summer of Giving aims to highlight numerous issues in the region through a series of events, in which Macon Pride will partner with various local organizations.
The campaign kicked off on June 13 with “Pride in Your Park,” a clean-up event at Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park that Macon Pride in partnership with Southern Queer Folks for Hikes.
Following the park clean-up, the organization is teaming up with Habitat for Humanity on July 18 for a “Pride Build” initiative that looks to address the region’s housing crisis.
During the month of August, Macon Pride is partnering with Macon Periods Easier for “Period Packing Party” (Aug. 22), an event that provides awareness about period poverty and menstrual equity; as well as hosting “Planting Pride: Community Garden Project” (Aug. 29), a public space beautification effort (in collaboration with Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful).
In addition to service-focused events, the campaign is also putting on several creative-focused initiatives like art exhibitions, storytelling shows, film screenings and other cultural collaborations that Macon Pride says are designed to spotlight LGBTQIA+ voices and local artists.
Finally, Macon Pride announced several fundraiser endeavors to support its programming, including “Dine Out / Shop Out” (where participating local businesses donate 10% of the day’s earnings to the organization), “Pride Night” during a Macon Bacon baseball game and a pickleball tournament.
