Lacey Township-Based Organization Offers Services for LGBT Community

Samantha J. Zaun, Program Director of A.X.I.S, Acting to eXtinguish Invisibility in Society, spent Sunday, June 3 manning her group's table at the Asbury Park Pride Festival, fielding questions from individuals on how to get help or how to volunteer for the organization.

Zaun founded the group in 2010 when she realized there were people in her home town of Lacey Township who didn't feel comfortable admitting their sexual orientation.

"I knew a wonderful group of people in Lacey that identified but had to keep quiet, and I felt that necessitated action," said Zaun, a graduate of Lacey Township High School who has two master's degrees in teaching and education from Monmouth University. "There are those who suffer from depression and anxiety and don't have an out and would like to just have someone there to answer questions. We don't want anyone to feel they can't be who they are, both in school and the community."

Zaun assembled a group of people for A.X.I.S., and began training well-screened volunteers to run group support meetings and coffee houses. Now, with 30 active members, their main focus is community service, education and social support for all who need it in the community.

"We've seen people who said they were victims of harassment or intimidation and volunteer because they don't want that to happen to anyone else," said Zaun.

A.X.I.S. offers monthly support group meetings at the Toms River and Barnegat Township branches of the Ocean County Library, a 24-hour Youth Hotline and Message Board available 24/7 at 888-222-2228 through its partner organization 2NDFLOOR and academic tutoring. The group also assists with resume building, working papers, job searches, interview skills, college searches and applications for admission, and offers opportunities for individuals to network and meet others in positive, chaperoned social events.

Zaun said the organization is committed to doing community service projects. For Thanksgiving, they raised $200 and gave it to Trinity Church in Asbury Park and took the food from a month-long food drive and provided 500 people with Thanksgiving meals. But she said she would like to do more in her own community of Lacey. 

Another service that A.X.I.S. provides is educational training workshops for businesses, schools, community organizations and government offices. They can take Safe Zone Diversity Training workshops to teach others about the damaging effects of bias and discrimination on the individual and the larger community and can receive certificates deeming them "Safe Zones" through the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network.

"I encourage businesses to become Safe Zones," said Zaun. "I know a large population of older Gay, Lesbian, Bisexuals and Transgenders who don't patronize certain businesses because they're afraid they'll be ostracized. Being a Safe Zone means we don't discriminate."

A.X.I.S. is a completely free volunteer organization, serving Ocean County youth. It is in the process of becoming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

"They ask me my orientation and I tell them I don't identify; I'm an educator," said Zaun. "It's all about education and nothing more."

For information or to get involved, visit the A.X.I.S. website.