Equality Community Center

Equality Community Center is a community center in Portland, Maine, dedicated to serving Southern Maine’s LGBTQ+ community and allies. Located at 15 Casco Street, the center offers queer and trans-exclusive events, a public coworking space, and access to LGBTQ+ support resources. It functions as a safe, inclusive gathering place and a hub for social and educational programming. With nearly 22,000 square feet of space, the center provides office, meeting, and event areas for nonprofit organizations and community members. It also hosts the Safe Combinations thrift store, open Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 1-5 p.m. The center has earned a 4.90 rating from 23 reviews, reflecting strong community trust and satisfaction.

The Equality Community Center is the first of its kind in Maine, designed as a collaborative workplace for LGBTQ+ and allied social justice-seeking nonprofits. It currently houses 17 tenant organizations, including EqualityMaine, MaineTransNet, PFLAG, Pride Portland!, and the Frannie Peabody Center, among others. These groups provide vital services such as legal advocacy, sexual assault response, youth outreach, and cultural programming. The center also partners with community initiatives like the Maine Gay Men’s Chorus, Queercovery, and Sober Sunday LGBTQIA+ AA Support Group. Its founding grew from a vision that began in 2014, culminating in the opening of its first location in 2015 at 511 Congress Street before relocating to its current downtown Portland home in 2020. The center continues to expand its mission through a capital campaign to support renovations and the development of affordable senior housing with services for LGBTQ+ older adults.

The center is recognized for its strong online presence, with a well-optimized website that search engines read cleanly and thorough, well-documented business information available across the web. This consistency enhances its visibility and accessibility to those seeking support, resources, or community connection.

As a cornerstone of Portland’s LGBTQ+ landscape, Equality Community Center stands as a vital space where identity, advocacy, and belonging converge, offering not just refuge, but a foundation for resilience and collective action.