Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds donates childhood home to LGBT+ organisation

Reynolds joins Apple CEO Tim Cook and the owner of the Utah Jazz basketball team in backing Encircle's '$8 Million, 8 Houses' campaign

Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds has donated his childhood home in Las Vegas to an LGBT+ organisation.

The gift comes as part of the ‘$8 Million, 8 Houses’ campaign from non-profit organisation Encircle, who are building resource centres for LGBT+ youth across Arizona, Idaho, Nevada and Utah.

Reynolds’ home, valued at $1million (£718,000), will be the first Encircle home in Las Vegas. The organisation currently has three operational homes in Utah, with a fourth being built.

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“Encircle is about bringing young LGBTQ+ people and their families together, by including the community and strengthening the bonds that connect us,” Reynolds and Volkman said in a statement.

“Being a part of this organization means so much to both of us and we know the house Dan grew up in will be a loving and supportive home to every young LGBTQ+ person who crosses the threshold.”

Reynolds added during an appearance on Good Morning America: “I’ve watched throughout my life the difficult path that LGBTQ youth have, especially coming from homes of faith.

“Now to know, with my mom and dad’s blessing, I was able to purchase the home for them and it’s going to be the first Encircle home in Las Vegas-that’s powerful for me.”

Another who has donated to Encircle is Apple CEO Tim Cook, who said: “This is why I came out. I was getting notes from kids. Kids who were contemplating suicide, kids that and being bullied. I wanted to share a part of my life, and being involved with this with Dan and Ryan—and taking it to a new level—is what it’s all about.”

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Also donating to the campaign is Ryan Smith, owner of the Utah Jazz basketball team.

Back in 2019, Reynolds used the band’s speech at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards to speak out in support of the LGBTQ community as he called for a ban on conversion therapy in the 34 US states which currently have no legislation on the issue.

“I just want to take this moment to say there are 34 states that still have no laws banning conversion therapy,” Reynolds said. “On top of that, 58% of our LGBTQ population live in those states.

“This can change, but it’s going to take all of us talking to our state legislation, pushing forward laws to protect our LGBTQ youth.”

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