The Sanctuary of the Treasure Coast, a local organization serving LGBTQ+ people and allies, has secured a permanent home, a move leaders say will significantly expand its ability to serve the community.
Founded in March 2021, the organization has operated without a dedicated location, relying instead on shared space. That changed after Rite Life owner Barbara Moody came across available space while preparing to relocate her own offices.
“She’s looking to move her offices into this building, and she saw that there was space in that building,” Ashley said. “She picked up the phone and FaceTimed me and said, ‘Guess where I’m at?’ … She says, ‘I’m standing in your new home.’”
The moment carried deep emotional weight, Ashley said, particularly given how long the organization had worked toward establishing a place of its own.
“Oh my God, I started crying,” they said. “The Sanctuary was born in March of 2021, and the mission has always been also part of finding a space for us. So to have someone say, ‘Hey, we’ve got space for you, and this is yours,’ I just started crying because I couldn’t believe that the moment was true.”
Until now, the Sanctuary shared space at Rite Life when it was available, limiting how often programs could be held. With a permanent location, Ashley said the organization will be able to significantly broaden what it offers.
“This means that we have access to be able to do more for the community,” they said. “We can set up clinics like gender-affirming clinics, name change clinics, more peer groups, people to be able to come together, be able to set up a grief group, be able to set up computers for resources for people to come in and apply for jobs, look for medical resources, pull things.”
Ashley said the space will address a long-standing gap in services on the Treasure Coast, where similar resources are located hours away.
“They either have to drive all the way down to Lake Worth to Compass, or they have to drive all the way north to Orlando,” they said. “There is no resource for LGBT that is a place for them to feel safe at before this.”
The move comes as the Sanctuary continues to grow rapidly. What began as a small conversation has expanded into a large and active community, Ashley said.
“It really started with five people talking,” they said. “At the end of 2021, there was 500 members, and then we jumped to 1,000, then we jumped to 2,000, and currently, right now, we are a little bit over 3,000 members, and it’s all Treasure Coast.”
Volunteers are currently working to prepare the space, including painting and replacing floors. Ashley said the organization hopes to open its doors soon.
“The goal is February,” they said.
Beyond expanding programming, the Sanctuary plans to continue its broader commitment to the community at large.
“We do give back to the whole community, because we find it important that we include everybody,” they said.
Looking ahead, Ashley said the organization’s focus remains on continued growth.
“So that’s my vision, is that our next step is to be bigger,” they said.