The Shenango Valley Pride Alliance, located about 90 minutes north of Pittsburgh and serving as Mercer County’s first LGBTQIA+ community support center and organizer of the county’s only annual Pride Picnic, will dissolve on June 1, 2026, citing ongoing funding challenges impacting nonprofits nationwide.
In a statement released February 25, the Alliance shared that its final event will be its annual Pride Picnic, scheduled for May 23, 2026, a full-circle closing moment for an organization that grew from grassroots support groups into a regional anchor for queer community.
Founded in 2021, the Shenango Valley Pride Alliance launched support groups at a time when rural and small-city LGBTQIA+ residents often had few, if any, affirming local spaces. By 2022, the group established Mercer County’s only annual Pride Picnic, creating a visible and celebratory gathering for a region frequently overlooked in statewide LGBTQ organizing.
“It’s with great sadness that we announce the Shenango Valley Pride Alliance will dissolve on June 1, 2026,” the organization wrote. “This adventure wouldn’t have been possible without the love, support, and encouragement of the Shenango Valley community.”
Over the past five years, the Alliance operated as the first LGBTQIA+ community support center in Mercer County, opening its doors to anyone in need of assistance, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Organizers say thousands of people accessed its center, attended events, joined support groups, visited drop-in hours, or reached out for resources.
Their mission centered on reducing social isolation among LGBTQIA+ people, a public health issue consistently linked to higher risks of depression, anxiety, housing instability, and suicide, particularly in rural communities.
“LGBTQIA+ folks deserve to be able to live a long, full, happy life,” their statement reads. “Please continue to fight for the rights of yourself and your friends, family, and neighbors.”
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While the Alliance will cease operations, leaders say they are coordinating with several organizations to help ensure continuity of services for local LGBTQIA+ residents:
- The New Castle Prism Initiative
- Rae’s Safe Haven
- Mahoning Valley Queer Action
- Full Spectrum Community Outreach
- PFLAG Mahoning Valley
The Shenango Valley sits at a geographic and cultural crossroads between Western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio. Advocates say cross-state collaboration will be essential to maintaining momentum.
The Alliance’s closure reflects a broader strain facing LGBTQ nonprofits nationwide. Many small and mid-sized community centers rely on inconsistent grant cycles, volunteer labor, and local fundraising. These are financial models that have become increasingly unstable amid inflation, donor fatigue, and shifting political priorities.
For rural LGBTQ organizations in particular, the stakes are heightened. In areas without multiple affirming institutions, one organization often functions as a hub for mental health referrals, social programming, youth support, and crisis response. When one closes, the ripple effects are felt deeply.
Still, the Alliance’s leadership framed their closure not as defeat, but as a continuation of community responsibility.
“Never forget the power you hold to inspire others and allow them the space to be themselves,” the statement concludes.
On May 23, 2026, Mercer County’s Pride Picnic will serve as both celebration and farewell, a gathering honoring five years of community-building in a region where visibility itself can be radical.