Full Spectrum Community Outreach Center
About Full Spectrum Community Outreach Center
Founded in 2016 by Tim Bortner, Payton Cram, and Emily Coelho, Full Spectrum Community Outreach Center emerged from a simple but powerful recognition: Youngstown, OH lacked adequate support systems for the local LGBTQIA+ community. What began as conversations in coffee shops and living rooms has grown into a vital community institution dedicated to building an inclusive Mahoning Valley where LGBTQIA+ people thrive as healthy, equal, and complete members of society. The organization's founders were determined to provide not just services, but genuine connection and advocacy. From its first home at St. John's Episcopal Church on Wick Avenue in Downtown Youngstown, Full Spectrum quickly expanded through grassroots community partnerships and visibility efforts. In 2019, the organization launched Warren, Ohio's first Pride festival, Pride in the Valley, which continues to draw the community together annually. That same year, Full Spectrum began work on what would become the region's first LGBTQIA+ housing initiative. Today, operating from its current location at 660 West Earle Avenue in Youngstown, Full Spectrum serves as a year-round hub for support groups, events, trainings, and organizational offices. The center provides a safe, welcoming space where LGBTQIA+ individuals can access peer support, resources, and advocacy. With the anticipated 2026 opening of the region's first LGBTQIA+ adult transitional homeless shelter, Full Spectrum continues to fulfill its founding vision of comprehensive, compassionate care for the community it serves.