How LGBTQ+ Seniors Are Building Joy and Community Through Project Rainbow

Over 20 LGBTQ+ seniors gathered in West Hollywood this week for a Pride Month pizza party hosted by Jewish Family Service LA’s Project Rainbow, a long-running social support group centered on connection, storytelling, and companionship.

Held at the West Hollywood Comprehensive Senior Center at 7377 Santa Monica Blvd., the event brought together longtime members who regularly meet to share meals, celebrate birthdays, and build relationships in a space designed to reduce isolation and foster belonging.

For many participants, Project Rainbow is more than a weekly meetup. It is a consistent touchpoint in later life where identity is not just acknowledged but shared openly. Project Rainbow’s Mission

Project Rainbow, part of the broader programming from Jewish Family Service LA, has operated as a dedicated social group for LGBTQ+ seniors in Los Angeles for years. The organization itself has served diverse communities across the region for more than a century, offering services that include mental health support, housing assistance, food security programs, and resources for vulnerable populations.

According to JFSLA, the group gives LGBTQ+ older adults a space to gather regularly for social events, holiday celebrations, and informal discussions. The focus is simple but significant: connection.

Members meet weekly to talk, eat together, and share personal history. Over time, those recurring interactions have shaped a tight-knit community that many describe as chosen family. Inside The Pride Pizza Party

This year’s Pride celebration brought a casual but meaningful twist: pizza, conversation, and reflection on community longevity.

Roughly two dozen seniors attended the gathering, continuing a tradition that organizers say has lasted for years. While the event itself was lighthearted, the underlying purpose reflects a broader need for safe spaces for LGBTQ+ older adults, many of whom came of age in eras where visibility and acceptance were limited or nonexistent.

Staff members emphasized the importance of programs like Project Rainbow in addressing isolation among older LGBTQ+ residents, particularly those who may not have traditional family support systems. The People Behind The Program

A key figure in the program is Marina Goldshteyn, activity coordinator at the West Hollywood Senior Center, who leads Project Rainbow alongside other wellness, educational, and social initiatives for older adults in the area. Her work focuses on building consistent programming that prioritizes engagement and dignity.

Among attendees were longtime participants who have been part of the group for years, including Project Rainbow leadership and members who help sustain the community’s continuity.

In photos from the event, Project Rainbow’s president, Peter Englander, appeared alongside longtime member Brad Keistler, underscoring the multi-generational bonds formed within the group itself. Why Spaces Like This Still Matter

While Pride Month often highlights visibility in nightlife, media, and large-scale celebrations, Project Rainbow reflects a quieter but equally essential part of LGBTQ+ life: aging within community.

Many seniors in the group lived through decades when being openly LGBTQ+ carried significant social risk. Programs like this offer not just companionship, but also validation and stability in later life.

As JFSLA continues its broader mission across Los Angeles County, initiatives like Project Rainbow remain central to its community-based approach, reinforcing long-term support for residents navigating housing insecurity, health challenges, and social isolation. A Simple Gathering, A Larger Impact

At its core, the Pride pizza party was not about spectacle. It was about continuity.

For the seniors who attend week after week, Project Rainbow functions as a steady place to talk, eat, and be seen without explanation or hesitation. In a city known for constant reinvention, that consistency carries its own weight.

And for many in attendance, a shared slice of pizza was just another reason to keep showing up.

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