GLYS GLYS is the acronym for Gay & Lesbian Youth Services of WNY!
GLYS was founded in 1983.

GLYS offers a variety of opportunities and services for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and questioning youth & their friends ages 14~21.


Our Drop~in Center is located in the Trinity Place of Trinity Church at 371 Delaware Avenue (near Tupper) in Buffalo. Our entrance is under the blue~green awnings. The Drop~in Center is open Monday through Thursday 2:30~7:30 p.m. Friday 2:30~5:30 p.m. [It is NOT open on Fridays during July and August.] Please check the calendar before you visit for the first time. We occasionally open later than 2:30 or close earlier than 7:30 for off site events or activities.

Want to join?! All you have to do is show up at the Drop~in Center! You can come to the Center as often or as little as you want to!

If getting to our Drop~in Center is difficult, join us for an offsite event such as a coffee house/open mic or cultural event (see our calendar). One or more Fridays each month GLYS Staff meet youth at Starbucks, SPoT Coffee or Cafe 59 ~ check the calendar for more info! GLYS also participates in Spotlight On Youth open mics (see calendar for dates), which are held at Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center at Babeville.

You can participate in offsite activities even if you can't or choose not to visit the Drop~in Center. For example, if you are interested in participating in a photography projects at the C.E.P.A. Gallery, sign up by e~mail or phone and be there for the first class!

GLYS Staff
Emily Tennant~Koller is our Drop~in Center Coordinator. She oversees the Center along with Program Assistant Mary Partridge and Youth Mentors Genella Birch, Sue Cardoso, Patti Jones, Kristen Koller, Mellonie Scott and Brian Wojcik. Poet Sherry Robbins, the GLYS "Writer~in~Residence," visits the Drop~in Center twice a month and takes part in our coffee houses.

Lou Moran is our referral therapist. Want to talk with a counselor? Staff will put you in touch with Lou, who will see you at his office. He will meet with a GLYS member once or twice, and can assist in finding an appropriate counselor if the member wants to continue for a longer time. Lou writes the "Info Page" on this website! He also joins us for the Peer Support Group on occasion.

Kay Patterson facilitates our monthly TRANS (with Patti Jones) and SEXUALITY discussion groups at the Drop~in Center. Kate Brittin and Brian Wojcik facilitate our monthly satellite meetings, currently held in South Buffalo (1st Thursday), Lockport (2nd Tuesday), Niagara Falls (3rd Thursday) and Lewiston (4th Thursday). Please see our calendar for more info.