THANK YOU! WE DID IT! WE MET THE MATCH! WE APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO DONATED AND DOUBLED THEIR MONEY, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY MORE TRANS YOUTHS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP, SO PLEASE KEEP GIVING!

Out of pain can come love. Out of loss can come service. And out of the darkness can come a spark that lights up the world.

“Meghan Riley Lewis was a friend, mentor, advocate, sounding board, parent, Navy war veteran, tech professional, music lover, and ‘trans mum’ to the younger generation of trans people in her community,” recalled her close friend and Cincinnati resident Carolyn Martin. “’Stay Sparkly’ was her tagline.”

Lewis enjoyed volunteering, particularly at Baltimore Safe Haven, a full-service housing and wellness center for LGBTQIA people. She created an online support group for transgender people pursuing life-saving procedures in Baltimore.

“This brave, generous, snarky, amazing, sparkly badass lady was shot to death before she could accomplish all the good she set out to do, particularly for trans youth and elderly,” Martin continued, explaining her friend’s spark was extinguished in December when the Bel Air, Maryland, resident was shot outside her home. Her alleged killer awaits trial.

To continue her legacy of love, Martin and her husband, Kevin, have pledged a $10,000 challenge gift to Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati in Meghan’s memory to support Transform Cincy, which provides clothing for Cincinnati-area trans and gender-nonconforming youth and programming for LGBTQIA+ youth and adults.

“We are celebrating her life with this matching gift, sending sparkly ripples of love into the world. Please help us continue her kindness, generosity and advocacy!” Martin added. “Rest in Peace, Meghan. Our love for you will not fade away. Stay Sparkly!”

The Meghan Riley Lewis Memorial Fund Challenge Grant will purchase and install a new permanent, on-site storage facility for Transform to use for clothing donations as well as assist Transform in its delivery of life-saving services to trans youth and young adults from throughout the tri-state region.

Donations to meet the challenge may be made to Community Shares for Transform by mailing a check to Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati, 315 W. Court Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 or giving online here.

About Transform Cincy: A journey can begin with a single thread. At Transform we work with transgender and gender non-conforming youth to provide free wardrobes with everything they need head to toe. The destination is yours to create, we are here to help you get started; with free clothing and wardrobe styling. In addition, social activities for LGBTQIA+ youth are held on Friday nights and for LGBTQIA+ adults on Wednesday nights.

About Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati: Community Shares serves as fiscal sponsor of Transform, meaning that Transform operates under Community Shares' 501c3 nonprofit status and Community Shares collects and holds all donations on behalf of Transform. Community Shares believes every community member counts. We connect, support, and fund nonprofits working toward an equitable, just, and environmentally sound Greater Cincinnati for all. We work to provide funding to these groups to maximize their impact. Entering its 30th year, Community Shares is the greater Cincinnati region's only umbrella federation for social justice, environmental, and animal welfare charities. In addition, we operate a Social Justice Incubator for emerging community needs of which Transform is a member.

Meghan Riley Lewis Memorial Fund Challenge Grant for Transform

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