An Oregon homeless youth center has rejected a $3,000 donation from the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, even though it claims it desperately needs more money to make repairs.

Last month, the chorus performed a sold-out benefit show at Newman’s United Methodist Church, with proceeds being given to Hearts With A Mission, a faith-based, tax-exempt organization and the only youth center in Josephine County.

PGMC/Facebook

But Hearts With A Mission turned the money down, even though the check didn’t technically come from the chorus but from the church. In a statement, Hearts With A Mission officials insisted they “did not mean to disrespect the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus or to the LGBTQ Community.”

“We regret the outcomes of turning down the funds from Portland Gay Men’s Chorus event. We recognize this situation should have been handled differently. Hearts With A Mission made this decision in an attempt to keep the focus on the youth services we provide and avoid undo controversy. We are very glad another local program serving homeless youth was the beneficiary of the funds.”

Hearts with a Mission/Facebook

Founded in 2004, the shelter offers housing, education, mentoring and transition planning “with a faith-based approach,” according to its website. The group maintains it’s not affiliated with any particular denomination and that “services are available to all eligible youth… regardless of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or disability.”

Hearts With A Mission already receives $50,000 annually from the city, but even after it turned down the $3,000, asked for an additional $26,000 for repairs to its shelter.

“I was surprised,” City Council member Tyler Flaming told Willamette Week. “I consider myself a very rational individual. I’m not promoting any sort of lifestyle. The core issue for me was that they’re asking the city taxpayers for money, yet turning down a viable donation.”

The incident is doubly tragic as studies show up to 40% of homeless youth in America identify as LGBT. But it hasn’t deterred PGMC’s charitable aims.

“The Portland Gay Men’s Chorus remains deeply appreciative of the kind hospitality we received from the Newman United Methodist Church and the community in Grants Pass,” said PGMC executive director Richard Jung in a statement. “Whatever controversy may have surfaced since, what is most important to us is that on one evening, a community came together united by music. We look forward to performing there again in the future.”