Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse announced Friday on its Facebook page that it received a $1,000 donation from the Lloyd E. Russell Foundation to start a "Save Outwrite Books" campaign.

We are thrilled to announce that we we received a donation from the Lloyd E. Russell Foundation to kick off the "Save Outwrite Books" campaign and have set up a fund to do it. Stay tuned to hear how you can get involved!

"Pamm [Burdett] came in about a week ago with a $1,000 check for a donation and said she wanted to get [your] campaign started," said Outwrite owner Philip Rafshoon. Burdett is the director of the Lloyd E. Russell Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides grants and contributions to various LGBT and leather community individuals, agencies and organizations.

Rafshoon said the store opened up a separate account for the $1,000 donation for "Save Outwrite Books" and the money will be used for moving expenses. Rafshoon announced last month the store was moving from its longtime location at the corner of 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue because the rent for the Midtown location was too high.

"So many people have come in crushed and telling us stories about how their lives have been changed here so we opted with to go with a campaign to keep it going," Rafshoon said about the decision to start a separate campaign to keep the store open.

More details about the campaign where the store is in the process of moving will be announced tomorrow, Dec. 3, at Outwrite's 18th anniversary party from 7 p.m. to midnight at the store.

For people who want to make donations now to the campaign, Rafshoon is asking they come into the store. The money will be used specifically for moving expenses, he said.

Rafshoon said he has looked at several places in Midtown as possible new homes for Outwrite as well as throughout the city.