Boston LGBT group suspends 'wellness allowance' program using tax dollars to pay for migrants' haircuts, massages

By Ryan Foley, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, April 21, 2026

A Boston-based LGBT advocacy group has suspended a program that used local taxpayer dollars to provide “wellness allowances” to LGBT migrants amid backlash, including death threats.

In a statement on Friday, the Boston-based LGBT advocacy group OUTnewcomers announced the suspension of its Project Belonging Matters wellness initiative “due to escalating and credible threats to the safety of its founder, team, and the vulnerable community it serves.”

As explained on the initiative’s official website, Project Belonging Matters provides “need-based support of $250–$500 for non-clinical healing and well-being, including yoga, meditation, storytelling, peer support, and gym memberships within the City of Boston.”

Project Belonging Matters says its purpose is to support “LGBT migrants through non-clinical, culturally grounded healing practices.” While priority is given to “low-income, trans-identified, and isolated LGBT migrants residing in the City of Boston,” the grants are open to all residents of Massachusetts’ capital and largest city.

The grants, referred to as “wellness allowances,” can also be used to cover “yoga, meditation, breathwork, gentle movement, somatic and body-based healing practices,” as well as “storytelling, journaling, poetry, art workshops, music-based healing, and creative expression spaces.” It lists “clinical therapy or medical treatment, psychiatric services, expenses outside the City of Boston,” and “unrelated personal expenses” as examples of services not covered by the “wellness allowances.”

Applicants seeking the “wellness allowances” are instructed to fill out a form that lists services such as hairstyling and massages as eligible expenses. Project Belonging Matters says the allowances are primarily targeted toward LGBT migrants because “LGBT migrants often face trauma, economic hardship, and social isolation.”

“This is an incredibly difficult decision,” said OUTnewcomers founder Sal Khan regarding the decision to suspend Project Belonging Matters. “Our work has always been rooted in care, dignity, and community support. However, the severity of the threats we have received has made it impossible to continue this program safely. The safety of our team and community members must come first.”

The organization also said it will be “ceasing all related programming and will return any funds received for this initiative.”

OUTnewcomers announced in a Dec. 10 X post that it had received a grant from the Boston Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Advancement as part of its fiscal year 2026 Weaving Well-being Grant Program.

“This support is a powerful affirmation of our mission to build safety, belonging, and mental well-being for LGBT migrants in Greater Boston. With this grant, we will be expanding resources, support systems, and community-centered programming focused on queer migrant mental health,” OUTnewcomers stated at the time.

While OUTnewcomers shared a screenshot of an email from the Mayor’s Office informing the organization that it had qualified for a grant, the exact amount was redacted from the image. According to the Weaving Well-being Grant Program’s official website, a total of $200,000 was allocated to recipients “to expand access to critical services and resources for LGBT Bostonians.” Those seeking funds could apply for either a $7,500 or a $15,000 grant.

News of the program’s suspension comes a day after OUTnewcomers released a statement announcing that it was pausing Project Belonging Matters due to “multiple death threats and threats of being reported to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following the project’s public launch.”

While Project Belonging Matters has been suspended, OUTnewcomers said it “remains dedicated to its mission of advocating for LGBT migrants and will be assessing next steps to continue its work in a manner that ensures safety and sustainability.”