The Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation is a nonprofit that provides services to LGBT and HIV-positive people in western Pennsylvania. It also provides gender and sexuality training to healthcare providers, educators, and businesses. ¹

In 2021, the group joined a coalition of over 150 groups that demanded Congress pass the controversial Equality Act, which would have prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity but was criticized by social conservatives. ^{2 3}

In 2023, the group signed a letter organized by the LGBT-interest group Human Rights Campaign which demanded Target put Pride merchandise that had been removed back on display. ⁴

Background

In 2017, Stacy Lane founded the Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation in memory of her uncle, Hugh “Huey” Lane, who had died of HIV. It aimed to improve the health of LGBT and HIV-positive people in western Pennsylvania. ⁵

Political and Cultural Positions

Equality Act

In February 2021, the Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation joined a coalition of over 150 LGBT groups demanding Congress pass the controversial Equality Act. The Equality Act would have barred discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, ⁶ which drew criticism from social conservatives who argued it would allow natal males into exclusively female spaces. ⁷

The group planned to mobilize communities across Western Pennsylvania to pressure lawmakers. It said the federal law was necessary because lawmakers in Pennsylvania and other states tried to pass discriminatory legislation against the LGBT community. ⁸

Target Pride Merchandise Controversy

In June 2023, the Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation joined over 200 groups in an open letter written by the LGBT interest group Human Rights Campaign that demanded Target put LGBT-Pride-themed merchandise that had been removed or made less prominent in displays back on the shelves. ⁹

Target removed Pride merchandise made by the brand Abprallen and designed by Erik Carnell. Carnell faced social media backlash for designing products with Satanic imagery such as pentagrams and horned skulls. Target also reviewed transgender swimsuits and children’s merchandise. ¹⁰

The open letter demanded Target release a public statement within 24 hours reaffirming its support of the LGBT community, put all Pride merchandise back on the sales floor and online in full, and ensure the safety of employees. The letter alleged, without evidence, that extremist groups had organized the backlash against Target and Anheuser-Busch. ¹¹

Charitable Services

Legal Aid Services

In April 2021, the Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation established legal aid services for LGBT individuals. It provided eviction defense, utility-services restoration assistance, public-benefits assistance, and civil expungement of criminal records. The Henry L. Hillman Foundation, which is a part of the left-of-center Hillman Family Foundations, funded the program. ¹²

Food Services

In 2020 in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation created the Friendsgiving Rainbow Turkey Bags which provided Thanksgiving meals for LGBT people. ¹³

In June 2021, the Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation partnered with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank’s Food Justice is Social Justice program to provide food to LGBT people in honor of Pride month. ¹⁴

The group provided weekly groceries through the Hugh’s Kitchen program, which supplied more than 4,000 bags of groceries as of October 2021. ¹⁵

AFFIRM Program

In early 2022, the Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation launched the Youth AFFIRM program, which provided mental and sexual health support for LGBT youth ages 14-21. ¹⁶

It created the programs AFFIRM for Providers for health and service providers, Caregiver AFFIRM for caregivers and foster parents, and AFFIRM for adults. ¹⁷

Transgender Health Care

The Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation helped transgender people navigate the Pittsburgh health-care systems. ¹⁸

Leadership

The Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation executive director is Sarah Rosso, who had over 15 years of experience working with the LGBT and HIV-positive communities in western Pennsylvania. ¹⁹

Stacey Lane, the group’s founder, chaired the board of directors. ²⁰

Finances

According to the 2022 tax return, the Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation reported $1,502,903 in revenue, $1,374,841 in expenses, and $1,735,804 in assets. ²¹

1. Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://hughlane.org/.
2. Rosso, Sarah. “Lawmakers Must Make Comprehensive LGBTQ+ Non-Discrimination Protections a Priority.” Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation, February 18, 2021. https://hughlane.org/2021/02/18/lawmakers-must-make-comprehensive-lgbtq-nondiscrimination-protections-a-priority/.
3. Editorial. “Against the Equality Act.” National Review, February 25, 2021. https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/02/against-the-equality-act/.
4. “Breaking: Over 200 LGBTQ+ and Allied Organizations Call on Target, Business Community to Speak out against Extremist Anti-LGBTQ+ Attacks.” Human Rights Campaign, June 5, 2023. https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/breaking-over-200-lgbtq-and-allied-organizations-call-on-target-business-community-to-speak-out-against-extremist-anti-lgbtq-attacks.
5. “The Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation – Pittsburgh, PA.” Central Outreach Wellness Center. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://www.centraloutreach.com/resources/the-hugh-lane-wellness-foundation#:~:text=The%20Hugh%20Lane%20Wellness%20Foundation%20is%20a%20501(c)3,HIV%20communities%20in%20Western%20Pennsylvania.
6. Rosso, Sarah. “Lawmakers Must Make Comprehensive LGBTQ+ Non-Discrimination Protections a Priority.” Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation, February 18, 2021. https://hughlane.org/2021/02/18/lawmakers-must-make-comprehensive-lgbtq-nondiscrimination-protections-a-priority/.
7. Editorial. “Against the Equality Act.” National Review, February 25, 2021. https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/02/against-the-equality-act/.
8. Rosso, Sarah. “Lawmakers Must Make Comprehensive LGBTQ+ Non-Discrimination Protections a Priority.” Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation, February 18, 2021. https://hughlane.org/2021/02/18/lawmakers-must-make-comprehensive-lgbtq-nondiscrimination-protections-a-priority/.
9.  “Breaking: Over 200 LGBTQ+ and Allied Organizations Call on Target, Business Community to Speak out against Extremist Anti-LGBTQ+ Attacks.” Human Rights Campaign, June 5, 2023. https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/breaking-over-200-lgbtq-and-allied-organizations-call-on-target-business-community-to-speak-out-against-extremist-anti-lgbtq-attacks.
10. Cavale, Siddharth. “Target Removing Some LGBTQ Merchandise Following Customer Backlash.” Reuters, May 24, 2023. https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/target-remove-some-lbgtq-merchandise-after-facing-customer-backlash-2023-05-23/.
11. “Breaking: Over 200 LGBTQ+ and Allied Organizations Call on Target, Business Community to Speak out against Extremist Anti-LGBTQ+ Attacks.” Human Rights Campaign, June 5, 2023. https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/breaking-over-200-lgbtq-and-allied-organizations-call-on-target-business-community-to-speak-out-against-extremist-anti-lgbtq-attacks.
12. “Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation Launches LGBTQ+ Legal Services Program.” QBurgh, April 18, 2021. https://qburgh.com/hugh-lane-wellness-foundation-launches-lgbtq-legal-services-program/.
13. Rooney, Kimberly. “Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation Opens Registration for Free Friendsgiving Rainbow Turkey Bags.” Pittsburgh City Paper, October 18, 2021. https://www.pghcitypaper.com/food-drink/hugh-lane-wellness-foundation-opens-registration-for-free-friendsgiving-rainbow-turkey-bags-20394020
14. Scales, Lisa. “Food Justice Is Social Justice; Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation Is Improving the Health of LGBTQ+ and HIV Communities.” Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, June 16, 2021. https://pittsburghfoodbank.org/2021/06/16/food-justice-social-justice-hugh-lane-wellness-foundation-improving-health-lgbtq-hiv-communities/.
15. Rooney, Kimberly. “Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation Opens Registration for Free Friendsgiving Rainbow Turkey Bags.” Pittsburgh City Paper, October 18, 2021. https://www.pghcitypaper.com/food-drink/hugh-lane-wellness-foundation-opens-registration-for-free-friendsgiving-rainbow-turkey-bags-20394020.
16. [1] “Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation Launches Affirm Project in Pittsburgh.” Project Youth AFFIRM, April 2022. https://www.projectyouthaffirm.org/news/hugh-lane-wellness-foundation-launches-affirm-project.
17. “Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation Launches Affirm Project in Pittsburgh.” Project Youth AFFIRM, April 2022. https://www.projectyouthaffirm.org/news/hugh-lane-wellness-foundation-launches-affirm-project
18. Bhasin, Punya. “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Experiences Inconsistent, Lack Some Services for Transgender Pittsburghers.” New Pittsburgh Courier, March 12, 2023. https://newpittsburghcourier.com/2023/03/12/lgbtq-healthcare-experiences-inconsistent-lack-some-services-for-transgender-pittsburghers/.
19. “Who We Are.” Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://hughlane.org/home/who-we-are/.
20. [1]“Who We Are.” Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://hughlane.org/home/who-we-are/.
21. “Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation, Full Filing – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/821940719/202311359349311436/full.