Hello everyone,

As 2026 approaches, I want to take a moment to look back at what Pink Wallet achieved in 2025 and share the vision for the year ahead.

A Year of Slow, Steady Growth

In case you didn’t realize it, Pink Wallet's day-to-day operations are currently done by just one person. With the support of my husband Andrew, I carve out time to make this vision a reality.

About this time last year, I was rebooting Pink Wallet for what felt like the umpteenth time. I made a personal commitment to post at least one Instagram story every single day for a full year. Today, I’m proud to say I made good on that commitment!

As a result, we have reached a major milestone: 1,000 followers on Instagram. It isn’t just about the numbers. It is about validation. It tells me that word is getting out, the mission is resonating, and people want to support our local queer economy.

First In-Person Events

2025 was a year of "firsts." We took Pink Wallet into the physical world with our first in-person events, and I want to thank the people who made them possible.

• Break Into Your Pride: Our booth at Break Room Therapy was a highlight of the year. Being able to talk to so many of you face-to-face reminded me why this work matters. I am already looking forward to Break Into Your Pride 2026! A special thanks goes to Dawn Levian. She was one of the first people to buy a Pink Wallet membership earlier this year and she models what real allyship looks like.

• LGBTQ+ Business Meetup @ Lotus Brew: We attempted to organize an LGBTQ+ business meetup at Lotus Brew. While the event didn't quite take off as planned, the experience taught me invaluable lessons about community organizing and timing. I am carrying those lessons forward and am incredibly grateful for Max Freeman’s ongoing support and advice.

Both Break Room Therapy and Lotus Brew offer generous discounts for Pink Wallet members. Be sure to check them out!

Challenges of 2025

I would say 2025 clearly illustrated the “why” behind Pink Wallet. The need for LGBTQ+ solidarity has never been more pressing. But it was also the most challenging year for the "how." Inflation has not just raised the cost of living; it has taken a toll on many LGBTQ+ businesses. In some cases, they have had to significantly restructure or cut hours. In other cases, they have closed entirely.

You may have also noticed that Pink Wallet does not run ads on Meta, Google, or other corporate platforms. This is a conscious, ideological choice. Our mission is to keep money within our local LGBTQ+ community. Using non-local, corporate advertising to reach local members feels antithetical to that goal. We grow through word-of-mouth and community presence, even if that path is slower.

Pink Wallet’s 2026 Roadmap

With your help, I have set five clear, achievable goals for the coming year:

1. More Face Time: Table at a local business at least three times. I have found that 1:1 conversations are the most powerful way to grow this movement.
2. Stickers: Print our first run of Pink Wallet stickers! You have asked for them, and now that we have built up some modest savings, we are making it happen.
3. More Materials: Print business cards to make outreach and promotion more effective.
4. Grand Rapids Pride: We're going to Pride! Raise the remaining funds needed for a two-day booth at Grand Rapids Pride, as well as stickers and business cards. We are incredibly close to this goal.
5. The Stretch Goal: If we exceed our targets, I want to bring Pink Wallet to Holland Pride and Lowell Pride as well.

Member-Supported

Going forward, I am reframing how Pink Wallet is positioned. Pink Wallet is a member-supported events, business, and resource directory.

Think of Pink Wallet like you would a community-supported radio station, such as WYCE. Pink Wallet remains a free resource for the entire community. There are no paywalls and there is no required registration.

But for those who choose to become sustaining members, you unlock exclusive discounts from our local partners. Your membership not only keeps Pink Wallet running, but it can also more than pay for itself in savings.

It is a win-win-win: you save money, local queer-supporting businesses get more traffic, and Pink Wallet stays sustainable.

Thank You

Thank you for supporting Pink Wallet. And thank you for helping us keep our money local and keep our money queer.

See you in 2026,

Joe LeBlanc

Founder, Pink Wallet