Shoppers are turning to community stories , and Bay Area families are returning to a beloved nonprofit as Our Family Coalition marks 30 years of supporting LGBTQ parents, kids and chosen family, showing why local services and advocacy still matter in a changing political moment.

Essential Takeaways

  • Established community: Our Family Coalition began in 1994 to connect LGBTQ parents and children and now marks its 30th anniversary with a gala and ongoing programs.
  • Focused services: The group concentrates on families with kids up to 13, offering meetups, trainings for schools, and family-friendly Pride events , friendly, practical support.
  • Policy work: The nonprofit actively lobbies in California, co-sponsoring bills like SB 1149 to expand bereavement and caregiving leave for chosen family.
  • Intergenerational impact: Early members are now grandparents and board members’ children are growing into the community; events are warm, intergenerational and accessible.
  • Low-friction access: Many offerings are free or RSVP-based, with visible family hubs at events such as Mission Dolores Park and the Trans March Family Pride Garden.

A small downtown office, a big heart: What keeps parents coming back

Walk into the Our Family Coalition office and you sense a lived-in calm , kids’ art on the wall, friendly chatter, the hum of practical organising. According to the organisation’s website, it grew out of local parents meeting in someone’s living room in the mid-1990s to find one another and create space for their kids. That grassroots start still colours everything the Coalition does. Executive Director Mimi Demissew has noted publicly that the group was once “underground,” and today it blends social connection with hard-edged advocacy. For families wanting support without ceremony, this combination is exactly the draw.

Programs that actually fit family life , and a gentle sensory reality

Our Family focuses on families with children up to about 13 years old, running playgroups, intergenerational meetups, and family-friendly spots at Pride weekend events. The organisation’s programs and services page lists offerings from caregiver support to school trainings, and parents say the spaces feel welcoming, practical and easy to navigate. If you want a quiet corner to change a nappy or somewhere to meet other parents with toddlers, these are the moments that matter , the Coalition’s events tend to be low-key, stroller-friendly and built around the small logistics that make parenting less fraught.

From Halloween parties to policy rooms: grown-up work behind the scenes

What began as social gatherings has evolved into policy work at the state level. Our Family Coalition has co-sponsored bills that expand workplace leave to include chosen family, and it’s currently helping push Senate Bill 1149, which would extend bereavement protections to chosen and extended family members. That legislative seam is crucial: even in California there are legal gaps for LGBTQ families. The Coalition’s dual role , party host and policy advocate , means members get both the warm bowl of soup and the lawyer at the next table when they need it.

Why intergenerational connections still win

There’s something quietly powerful about seeing three generations connected to the same group: founders who once met in living rooms are now grandparents, while their children sit on the board and bring infants to events. That full-circle feeling is more than nostalgia. It’s proof the community works across life stages. For parents who grew up without visible role models, being able to point to a local, lived community offers a sense of security. Our Family’s intergenerational meetups and Halloween traditions give kids a memory-book sense of belonging that many parents treasure.

Practical tips for families interested in joining

Start online: RSVP for a Family Pride Garden event or a playground meetup to get a feel for the group without committing. If you need advocacy, check the Coalition’s advocacy pages for current priorities and sample letters. For school-related issues, ask about their teacher-training offerings so you can suggest resources to your local PTA. If you’re short on time, volunteer a few hours at a single event , you’ll meet other parents in real-life settings and get a quick sense of whether the group fits your family’s rhythm.

It's a small change that can make every family feel safer, seen and a little less alone.

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