Spokeswoman: Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh is dissolving

Tawnya Panizzi | Sunday, August 23, 2020 7:35 p.m.

Tribune-Review file

Participants line up to march in Pittsburgh’s 2017 Pride parade. Orgainizers say Pittsburgh Pride is the largest regional community festival that celebrates diversity, and specifically the LGBT community and its allies.

One of the Pittsburgh region’s LGBTQ advocacy groups is dissolving, a spokeswoman confirmed Sunday.

“I am not sure what the next steps are,” said Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh Director of Marketing and Development Christine Bryan.

She confirmed the group will disband, but declined to discuss details.

Founded in 1996, the group was created to support LGBTQ people through wellness programs, community events and fundraisers.

The coronavirus pandemic forced cancellation of the group’s signature event, Pittsburgh Pride. In 2019, the event drew more than 250,000 attendees and the annual parade was name the largest in Pittsburgh.

Delta President Marty Healey said the cancellation was viewed as merely a hiatus, as “Pride is something that lives with our hearts 365 days a year.”

In early August, the foundation brought to a close an investigation of its former President, Gary Van Horn, who was charged with several counts of forgery and accused of impersonating a first responder.

The group completed an internal review and turned the findings over to the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office but declined to discuss the findings.

A Facebook post in mid-August revealed a bleak financial condition resulting from the cancellation of Pride.

“Ninety percent of the annual funding is derived from Pittsburgh Pride revenue,” the post read.

“Our current debt, along with no possible merger or acquisition opportunities, unfortunately leaves the organization with few options at this point.”