In 2012, Louisville realtor, Tommy Arnold founded Feast on Equality, a nonprofit that helps LGBTQ college students.

The idea started in 2008 when Arnold and his friend, UofL employee, Brian Buford, hosted Thanksgiving dinner for eight LGBT students who didn’t feel comfortable or welcome at home.

As they held the Thanksgiving feast year after year, word spread and the number of students attending reached over 250. 

This tradition turned into Feast on Equality, a fundraising dinner around Thanksgiving that raises money for resources for LGBTQ youth. The dinner has raised over $600,000 so far, some of which goes to the LGBT Center at UofL.

Some of the money was used to create a program that teaches UofL medical students about the needs of LGBTQ patients, and some was used to help one LGBTQ student finish college after her family stopped paying her tuition.

Since holidays are still a challenging time for LGBTQ students who are not with their families, Feast on Equality will start connecting students with friends whose families will welcome them on Thanksgiving. The organization will help pay for these families’ dinners.

Arnold plans to expand Feast on Equality to other universities, including the University of Kentucky.

To read the full story by NBC News, click here.