Relocating to the Coachella Valley in 2010, they attained a California foster care license and then became the first gay Californians ever to be licensed by the state of Mississippi, allowing them to become foster parents of a transgender teen from that state.

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As experienced foster parents they knew first-hand that if an LGBTQ+ foster youth comes out, or is found out, and their foster care providers do not accept them, they can be bounced from that placement – losing their ‘family’ once again.

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Building on their dedication to the health, safety, and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ foster youth and their desire to serve more young people than their foster parent license would allow, they soon began their three-year journey to develop the program that would become Sanctuary Palm Springs. Their tireless efforts included establishing the organization’s nonprofit status, securing the state license for a Transitional Housing Program, convening a board of directors, hiring staff, engaging an army of volunteers and supporters, raising start-up funds from donors and by writing grants, setting up the first home, and welcoming the organization’s first residents. Sanctuary Palm Springs, which is the only program of its kind in the Coachella Valley, is an outgrowth of LD and David’s passionate commitment to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ foster youth and their belief that all youth, including LGBTQ+ youth, deserve to be respected, supported, and given every opportunity to learn the skills they will need to lead happy and healthy adult lives.