Tue, November 27 2012

ALI FORNEY CENTER, LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER ANNOUNCE NEW DROP-IN CENTER LOCATION IN WAKE OF SANDY

NEW YORK, NY - November 12, 2012 -  The Ali Forney Center (AFC) - the nation’s largest services and advocacy organization working on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) runaway and homeless youth - today announced that it has been able to relocate its drop-in center, destroyed by flooding from Hurricane Sandy in late October, thanks to space generously provided by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center.  The use of the Center’s facilities means that the AFC has resumed providing a number of vital services disrupted by the storm, including medical care, mental health services, HIV testing, housing referrals, and more.

Starting Thursday, November 8, the AFC Drop-In Center resumed operations at the LGBT Community Center at 208 W. 13th Street, in room 212. Regular drop-in hours will remain as Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 6 PM. The drop-in center will remain at the LGBT Community Center until an already-secured permanent space in Harlem is ready for move-in, which is anticipated to be late December; this space will be the nation’s first 24-hour drop-in center for LGBTQ runaway and homeless youth.

Said Glennda Testone, Executive Director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center: “When I first heard about the destruction of the drop-in center, I knew we could help.  The AFC serves our community’s most vulnerable youth, and in a time when they needed a home, I knew we could provide it.  We are proud to continue the Center’s legacy of supporting our community in times of crisis.”

Said Carl Siciliano, Executive Director of the Ali Forney Center: “I am deeply grateful for the kindness and generosity of the Center.   While the damage we suffered from Hurricane Sandy is one of the greatest challenges the AFC has faced to date, it is inspiring that so many institutions, particularly the Center, have rallied behind us to ensure that our youth continue to receive the support they need.”

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center is one of several LGBT organizations that have come to the AFC’s aid.  GLAAD has aided the AFC in setting up a process for donating via text message, and the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center has promoted donations to their email list.

AFC is continuing to raise funds to replace the supplies and equipment destroyed in the flooding of the drop-in center.  Donations can be made at: www.aliforneycenter.org/hurricanesandy.

About the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center

Established in 1983, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center is at the heart of the LGBT community in New York City, providing quality health and wellness programs in a welcoming space that fosters connections and celebrates our cultural contributions. We strive to serve the LGBT community with a full-service, multi-faceted approach to programming, from hosting arts and entertainment events, advocacy groups and family gatherings to offering youth, recovery and overall wellness programs. Each year, the Center welcomes more than 300,000 visits to our building in the West Village neighborhood of Manhattan from people who engage in our life-changing and life-saving activities. We are proud to be your community Center. To learn more about our work, please visit www.gaycenter.org.

About the Ali Forney Center

The Ali Forney Center (AFC) was started in June of 2002 in response to the lack of safe shelter for LGBT youth in New York City. The Center is committed to providing these young people with safe, dignified, nurturing environments where their needs can be met, and where they can begin to put their lives back together. AFC is dedicated to promoting awareness of the plight of homeless LGBT youth in the United States with the goal of generating responses on local and national levels from government funders, foundations, and the LGBT community.  For more information, visit style="color: #db5d2b; text- www.aliforneycenter.org.

About the Center

A beacon of hope for 29 years, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center builds and supports our community through arts and culture, wellness and recovery, family services and life-saving youth programs designed to foster healthy development in a safe, affirming environment. The Center envisions a world where LGBT people will no longer face discrimination or isolation because of who we are or who we love. We offer a welcoming home to 300,000 visitors each year and we are committed to serving all LGBT people through a variety of programs, services and activities that are designed to meet existing and emerging needs.The Center is many things to many people. We invite you to experience our home at 208 West 13th Street in person and online at gaycenter.org