Ellen Spertus and her husband Keith Golden are computer scientists living in San Francisco who recently became one of our newest eScrip donors, and we asked Ellen to tell us about why they support NCLR, and why she chose to sign upto support NCLR through eScrip.

When and how did you first hear about NCLR?

My husband and I have long been supporters of equal rights, and we wanted to know how best to give our time and money when marriage equality became a possibility in California (we live in San Francisco) and other parts of the country.

I asked around among long-time activists and was told that NCLR was one of the most effective organizations, not just for lesbians but for all LGBTQ people. Reading the NCLR newsletter since donating has confirmed how much good they do on so many issues.

What inspired you to give to NCLR through eScrip?

I was delighted to read about the eScrip program in the NCLR newsletter because I do lots of shopping online. It’s great to be able to provide additional support to NCLR, beyond our direct donations, at no cost to ourselves. There is also the extra pleasure of knowing that I’m helping NCLR when buying a Christmas present from NewEgg for my right-wing brother-in-law who voted for Prop. 8 or a Hanukkah present from Amazon for my niece who cried when Prop. 8 passed.

What are your hopes for and expectations of NCLR and our movement in the next few years?

Despite some heart-breaking disappointments, it’s clear that the tide is turning, and the only question is when, not if, LGBTQ people will have equal rights. I hope and expect that NCLR and other movement leaders will build on our gains, learn from our losses, and harness volunteers’ and donors’ contributions effectively.

What do you tell others about NCLR?

First of all, I’d like people to know it’s not just for lesbians. My husband and I made a donation to NCLR in honor of the marriage of our male friends Barton and Felix, who were delighted, as well as for the marriage of an opposite-sex couple, Gen and Tom, who also requested donations for marriage equality. In addition to its effectiveness, another benefit of gifts to NCLR is that they are tax-deductible, which is not true of all organizations working for same-sex marriage, allowing donors to give more to the cause and less to the government.