Fund Trans and Intersex Residential Eating Disorder Care
Donation protected
Help Us Launch The Source: Identity-Focused Eating Disorder Care for Marginalized Communities
Why The Source?
The Source is pioneering the first-ever identity-first, whole-person care model for eating disorders, specifically designed for marginalized communities, starting with gender-diverse individuals. With the tremendous and escalating threat and villainization of trans+ and intersex people, our mission has become more urgent and more vital than ever. Our Philadelphia-based residential facility will provide a safe, supportive environment where individuals can heal from eating disorders without the shame, bias, and alienation that often accompany traditional treatment models.
Gender-diverse individuals frequently experience discrimination in healthcare settings—85% of trans people report facing discrimination when seeking medical care. Experiences of harassment, discrimination, lack of bodily autonomy, and stigma contribute to a higher risk of eating disorders and, without proper care, can lead to devastating consequences, including iatrogenic harm from treatment environments that aren’t designed for our needs. It’s time to change the narrative.
Your donation will help us open our first residential center in Philadelphia for gender-diverse individuals struggling with eating disorders by:
- Helping us put a down payment on a six-bedroom residential property and cover our mortgage before we can open ($270k)
- Furnishing our residence ($80k)
If we surpass our initial goal, we will also use funds for:
- Starting the process of licensure, accreditation, and covering early legal expenses with local and state regulatory entities ($30k)
- Establishing contracts for HR, finance, and healthcare compliance; engage early staff in development training via trans+ and intersex eating disorder specialists ($100k)
- Hiring talented staff for therapy, dietetics, nursing, psychiatry, and round-the-clock support ($553k for 3 months)
- Supporting outings and community immersion for our first residents ($37k)
Equity and healing justice are at the heart of our mission. We believe in building supportive, resilient communities and ecologies where everyone can thrive. Our approach to equity includes:
- Two beds consistently available at no-cost or low-cost for individuals facing financial barriers to care, ensuring that financial hardship never stands in the way of healing.
- Full coverage of travel costs and waived copays for residents experiencing financial insecurity, making access to care as barrier-free as possible.
- A portion of our revenue is dedicated to supporting underfunded, community-based initiatives that align with our values, helping to create a stronger, more equitable support network for all.
- Paying our staff above market rates, enabling them to move beyond survival and into true prosperity.
- A cooperative profit-sharing model, ensuring that everyone who contributes to our work has a stake in our collective success.
Unfortunately, venture capital is not willing to support this community-centered approach and we are unwilling to deviate from our values. As the urgency for care has increased and the risk of providing care as trans+ and intersex people ourselves has perhaps increased even more, this is where we turn to you, our community.
What we are not able to source from our caring community, we will be taking out a business loan to cover. We are committed to making our vision into a reality!
In our pursuit of equity, we also believe in the power of mutual support. If contributing to our efforts doesn't feel salient for you, we encourage you to support FEDUP Collective, Intersex Justice Project, Project HEAL, and others who are deeply committed to the well-being of our communities.
Why eating disorders?
Eating disorders (EDs) affect 1 in 10 people, yet marginalized communities—especially gender-diverse individuals—face significant barriers to accessing care. Traditional ED treatment is designed for thin, cisgender, white, heterosexual women, leaving behind those who are most at risk. Marginalized communities face incredible challenges in accessing care tailored to their unique needs. The Source is on a mission to change that.
- Tailored Care: Our therapy model is designed to address the unique needs of gender-diverse individuals, integrating specialized care for gender dysphoria, minority stress, trauma, body image distress, and co-occurring mental health concerns. We offer evidence-based therapies like CBT-E, DBT, RO-DBT, ACT, and EMDR, and we incorporate strength-based approaches to embrace gender euphoria and resilience traits.
- Healing in Community: Eating disorder recovery doesn’t happen in isolation. The Source prioritizes support groups, group cooking, gardening, and communal activities - including immersion in local trans+ and intersex spaces. We believe that recovery is powered by community, and our therapeutic framework is rooted in collectivism.
- Whole-Person Wellness: We understand that eating disorders often intersect with other challenges, including trauma, depression, anxiety, and OCD. Our individualized care ensures that each person receives the mental, physical, and emotional support they need to heal. This includes incorporating physical therapy, occupational therapy, and liberatory healing praxis.
- Social Impact: Beyond treating our clients, we are committed to systemic change. Our model recognizes that "culturally competent care" involves adding sensitivity to interventions primarily normed on dominant ideas. Identity-first care has the potential to influence the broader mental health landscape by creating a new standard.
Your Support Matters
We believe in the power of community and the resilience of marginalized people. We’ve been there, and we understand what it takes to heal. With your support, we can change lives, one individual and one community at a time.
Join us in paving the way for a future where everyone, regardless of their identity, has access to the care they deserve.
---
Thank you for supporting The Source in our mission to provide identity-first eating disorder care for marginalized communities. Your contribution will help us create a new standard of care that saves lives and fosters healing, connection, and empowerment.
Fundraising team: Fundraiser Team (10)
Scout Silverstein
Organizer
Philadelphia, PA
Angela Goens
Team member
Byrd Evans
Team member
Fiona LaRosa-Waters
Team member
Jonathan Levine
Team member