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Non-profit OrganizationsNorth Holland, Netherlands501-1000 Employees
COC, formally Cultuur en Ontspannings-Centrum or Centre for Culture and Leisure, is a Dutch non-profit founded in 1946 and recognized as the world's oldest LGBT organization. It is one of the largest LGBT organizations globally and pursues a society that fully respects individuals regardless of sexual orientation, seeking to increase visibility, tolerance, and equal rights in the Netherlands and beyond. The organization leverages its knowledge, networks, and resources to respond to a wide range of requests, offering strategic policy guidance, networking, organizational advice, housing support, human resources, and financial assistance, either directly or as an intermediary, with services tailored to the situation. Based in Amsterdam in the North Holland region, it operates as a sizable non-profit with a global support network. In 2020, it partnered with Winchester Rescue Mission to help cover the costs of case management, supplies, and maintenance for an emergency shelter opened at Shenandoah University, illustrating its international engagement.