Getting Married, Giving Back

Supporting LGBTQ nonprofits through local wedding registry

by Gina Grappone

Puzzles, books, Legos, art supplies, backpacks and socks. What do all these things have in common? They are on Bret Tiderman and Kevin Moser’s wedding registry.

When they got engaged on Christmas Eve last year, Bret and Kevin knew that their wedding was an opportunity to give back to the community that supported them as they built their life together in Seattle. Since moving here in 2004, both men have been involved in various LGBTQ organizations, including the GSBA, Lifelong care teams, and the Human Rights Campaign. As they met and fell in love, this work became even more important to them as a couple. 

In planning their December, 2014 wedding, Bret and Kevin thought their gift registry would be the perfect vehicle for sharing what’s important to them and giving back to their community. When they learned about the local gift registry website NearbyRegistry.com, a GSBA member business, a light bulb went off. Bret and Kevin created an entirely charitable registry. It’s filled with nonprofit donations, as well as physical items requested by the organizations. "We loved the idea of giving resources to the organizations that matter to us, while at the same time bringing sales to local, independent businesses in Seattle. It's a win-win for everybody involved."

GSBA partner organizations Lambert House and Lifelong are among the beneficiaries of this unique registry. The GSBA Scholarship Fund is also on Nearby.

“I’m so moved at the complex situations LGBTQ youth face on a daily basis,” Bret says. “They are at such high risk, and deserve every fighting chance at having a safe place to go and people to care about them, even if it's not their own families. The staff and volunteers of Lambert House do everything they can to provide that, and I believe in what they do.” The books, journals, art supplies, CDs and book bags from Bret and Kevin’s will all go to Lambert House.

Kevin describes their support for Lifelong, an organization that not only provides support and essentials for members of the community already affected by HIV/AIDS, “but works equally as hard to create awareness and move us towards an end to the epidemic. Those types of goals are not achievable without a lot of help. Our wedding registry is just one way for us to support the effort." Socks for the youth sock drive and household supplies are on the gift list for Lifelong.

The day after Bret and Kevin take their vows, they’ll sit among family and friends and open all their gifts. Later, they’ll head to Lifelong and Lambert House, armed with piles of books, CD’s, art supplies and socks—and the love and generosity of an entire community.

For more information about creating a local registry or wishlist, or becoming a participating business or nonprofit on NEARBY, contact Gina Grappone at ginag@nearbyregistry.com