The Adopt-A-Gay Foundation unofficially began in February 2002 when Sarah Black rescued--from homelessness--a handful of gays and one lesbian (Monique Finley). She offered up her two bedroom apartment as residence so that these people, who were strangers only days before, could have a roof over their heads. Her roommate, Tiffany, went along for the ride...it was definitely a trippy time.
In Norfolk, Va. that fateful February of 2002, Sarah Black ran the only "LGBT shelter" in the Hampton Roads area (and possibly the entire eastern seaboard) out of her home. She received no assistance from the government because she never asked for help. She simply offered her home to Family in trouble. This experiment in house sacrifice ended in April 2002 when the apartment was lost due to complications with management. At the peek of Sarah's "LGBT Shelter" there were seven people (five LGBT rescues) living in that two bedroom apartment, with seven more staying on occassion.
In April 2002, Monique Finley spent 3 days in Virginia Beach city jail for driving on a suspended license. Her sentence was 30 days in jail reduced to 6 days, half time for good behavior. While she was guilty of driving on a suspended license, she was also profiled by a Virginia Beach police officer when she left the In Between (a gay bar). She had one beer at the bar after she found out that her drunk gay friend, who she had intended on driving home, had ridden some man home instead. Interestingly, a man who was drunk in court and who had eight DUIs received eight hours in jail after his sentence was reduced. When Finley was released the jail clerks refused to give her change for a dollar to use the pay phone to call for a ride. She was not allowed to use any of the official phones to call for a ride. In fact, she never received her "one phone" call. Unfamiliar with the area surrounding the courthouse and jail, she inadvertently walked two miles in the wrong direction looking for a gas station. Ms. Black came to her rescue again when the people on phone duty failed to answer. Sarah called another friend who left work to go get Finley.
Within weeks of the Va. Beach jail incident, Sarah accompanied her fleeing pet lesbian to Louisiana. To this day the two are friends and confidantes.
