For 35 years, Time Out Youth has offered LGBTQ+ young people in Charlotte something many struggled to find elsewhere: a place where they can feel safe, supported and accepted for who they are. What began with a telephone ringing in a living room has grown into an organization providing essential services, meaningful connections and a sense of belonging to generations of LGBTQ+ youth.
That history was at the heart of Time Out Youth’s 35th anniversary celebration Friday, October 30, when the nonprofit hosted an open house and birthday party at its center on Monroe Road. The day’s schedule included opportunities for community members to tour the facility, meet staff and learn about its programs, followed by an evening gathering intended to celebrate the organization’s impact and look toward its future.
For founder Tonda Taylor, the anniversary offered an opportunity to reflect on the young people whose experiences helped shape the organization from its earliest days.
In a video shared by Time Out Youth ahead of the celebration, Taylor recalled how the organization’s first telephone number was actually her home number, where calls from frightened LGBTQ+ youth often came late at night, after their parents had gone to bed.
One call in particular has stayed with her. A young man, alone in a motel, told Taylor his parents planned to send him away to be “fixed.” Although she encouraged him to find a way to stay in touch, the conversation left her feeling powerless.
“When I hung up, I just started crying,” Taylor recalled. “I felt so helpless, you know, to do anything.”
Those calls underscored the need for a dedicated support system, and what began with four young people gathering in April 1991 eventually evolved into a nonprofit offering counseling, educational programming, housing assistance and opportunities for community connection.
Today, Time Out Youth serves LGBTQ+ young people ages 13 to 24 from its 7,400-square-foot center at 3800 Monroe Road, which opened in 2017. Its services continue to address challenges that have shaped the organization’s mission since its founding, including family rejection, housing instability and the need for affirming spaces.
According to its 2025 impact figures, Time Out Youth helped 47 young people secure housing, provided 1,075 free counseling sessions and welcomed 372 new participants into its programs.
Speaking with WFAE ahead of the anniversary, CEO Sarah Mikhail emphasized the importance of maintaining a dedicated community space for LGBTQ+ young people.
“Time Out Youth is the only LGBTQ+ youth space in Charlotte,” Mikhail said. “I think that’s important to name, that it is a safe community space.”
Looking ahead, Time Out Youth’s new three-year strategic plan focuses on expanding housing assistance, clinical services, accessibility and advocacy. The organization also plans to provide more than $200,000 in direct financial assistance in 2026, with support from Point Source Youth, the Leon Levine Foundation and the City of Charlotte.
Communications manager Elissa Miller emphasized the importance of listening to LGBTQ+ young people as the organization plans for the future.
“For us, it’s listening to our young people and making our strategic goals meet what our young people’s needs are,” Miller said.
Miller also hopes the anniversary reminds LGBTQ+ youth that they are not alone.
“There have always been people to support them, and there are always going to be communities to support them,” Miller said.
Thirty-five years after Taylor began answering those late-night calls, the organization continues the work that inspired its founding, ensuring LGBTQ+ young people have somewhere to turn for acceptance, support and community.
This story is brought to you by Rosedale Health and Wellness and Dudley’s Place.
