Community Spotlight: Transhealth
Meet our November 2025 Community Spotlight organization: Transhealth
When was your organization founded and for what purpose was it established?
Transhealth has its roots in the experience of two Western Massachusetts LGBTQIA+ community leaders. Tired of driving two to three hours to a city for certain types of gender-affirming care, they dreamed of creating a comprehensive center for gender-affirming care in Western Massachusetts. With the generous support of family, this dream became a reality.
The first step in founding the center was to build a team to conduct a study of local needs known as The PATH Project (Plan and Act for Transgender Health). This needs assessment was conducted as a partnership between local gender-diverse community members and staff from The Fenway Institute, Cooley Dickinson Health Care, and Harvard Medical School to ensure that as many voices as possible contributed to the foundation of the center. The goal of PATH was to reach as many people who typically don’t get their needs taken into consideration. Based on the needs assessment, the center could offer the services that people actually want and need with a commitment to always listen and respond to the community.
With the study complete, and the needs of the community clearly defined, Transhealth was born, opening its doors in May 2021. From there, Transheath team and the number of patients they serve has continued to grow.
How would you describe the impact of the work your organization does?
Transhealth supports lives, changes lives, and often saves lives through the delivery of essential healthcare and community support. Transhealth is a beacon of hope for thousands across Western Massachusetts and beyond. Services include:
Clinical Care: We provide high-quality, gender-affirming primary care, pediatric care, mental healthcare, gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT), surgical letters, and an STI Walk-in Clinic.
Community Support: Our life-changing community outreach programs include a drop-in community space, community closet, groups and events, resources, transportation, insurance enrollment counseling, HIV/STI prevention, and harm reduction supplies.
Education: We offer comprehensive education for patients, families, members of the community, and clinicians.
Advocacy: We advocate for laws and policies to transform healthcare and improve the lives of trans and gender-diverse communities.
For more about our specific impacts, visit our 2024 Impact Report.
What program or project are you most excited about developing/expanding over the coming years, and why?
We are driven to continue expanding access to pediatric gender-affirming care so that trans youth have a place where they can get the medical care they need, and be supported and celebrated as their authentic selves.
Right now however, our primary goal is to continue to stay open and provide life-saving, medically necessary healthcare and support amidst ongoing and worsening federal attacks on trans and gender-diverse people. Critical to this will be our ability to raise sufficient funds for healthcare providers, operations, and security.
What is one simple thing an individual can do to make a difference in the lives of the folks you serve
Become a Transgender Defender (TGD) by giving $5 a month to support Transhealth! Monthly sustaining donors are CRITICAL to our ability to plan, thrive, and grow. Especially in these uncertain times, recurring donors allow us to worry less about funding for the future, and more about our mission. https://transhealth.org/donate
Other Ways to Support Transhealth:
And, join us at Sanctuary for a special benefit event
Thanksgiving Day Yoga
w/ Sebastian Merrill
All are welcome to join us for this special Thanksgiving Day yoga class to benefit Transhealth. Transhealth serves trans and gender-diverse communities through primary care, mental health care, community support, education, and advocacy. They are the only independent, non-profit healthcare organization in the U.S. solely devoted to serving trans and gender-diverse communities.
All experience levels welcome.
Thursday, November 27, 9:15-10:30am (online only)
Pay-what-you-can, by donation: $5-$150.* All proceeds will go to Transhealth. Thank you for helping us support our local community.
*If you wish to donate more than $150, please email us at studio@yoga-sanctuary.com.
