Atlanta nonprofit Game Changing Men bridges gaps with free meals, support for trans men

Feeding the needy and mending cultural divides over the course of 24 hours is a tall order. 

But for Quinton Reynolds, it's all in a day's work.  

Reynolds recently launched a bi-weekly event, Breaking Bread with the Block, formerly known as Feeding the Homies, through his nonprofit called Game Changing Men. It provides trans men a support group and access to resources. It's also mending a gap between trans and cisgender people in part through giving away food and offering STD testing to anyone. 

In its latest giveaway last Friday, the organization says it served 100 people--twice as many as its goal for each pop-up.

"These folks are just everyday folks, working folks," Reynolds said. "Some folks on disability and different stuff like that that come out here and get food so they can survive through the week."

Derek Baugh, the program manager, says treating the people they serve like family is important for building connections. The organization is also enhancing trans men's visibility through outreach in Atlanta neighborhoods. 

"As community, people think that we're looking for solutions," Baugh said. "We are the solution. We got us. So we show up looking like the solution and we come with solutions, and I think people trust us because of that." 

At night, the nonprofit hosts its "Real Talk" discussion series tackling issues affecting LGBTQ+ people. However, Reynolds says welcoming everyone is important to these conversations. 

"It's super important that we have these conversations together so we can begin to break down some of those gaps in the community or to dispel a lot of myths that people think about trans people or have heard about trans people," Reynolds said. "A lot of those narratives or things that they heard about trans people most of the time aren't true. And so it's super important that we bring folks together."

As Game Changing Men says it strives to foster acceptance and representation, it's working to uplift an entire tribe of distinct voices, too.