Please Help the Ali Forney Center, Destroyed by the Hurricane

[PalJoey]

Posted: 11/3/12 at 11:35pm

Ali Forney Drop-In Center Destroyed by Hurricane Sandy


(Executive Director, Carl Siciliano at Day Center with clients and staff)

Dear Friends,

Yesterday we were finally able to inspect our drop-in center in Chelsea, half a block from the Hudson River. Our worst fears were realized; everything was destroyed and the space is uninhabitable. The water level went four feet high, destroying our phones, computers, refrigerator, food and supplies.

This is a terrible tragedy for the homeless LGBT youth we serve there. This space was dedicated to our most vulnerable kids, the thousands stranded on the streets without shelter, and was a place where they received food, showers, clothing, medical care, HIV testing and treatment, and mental health and substance abuse services. Basically a lifeline for LGBT kids whose lives are in danger.

We are currently scrambling for a plan to provide care to these desperate kids while we prepare to ultimately move into a larger space that will better meet our needs. The NYC LGBT Center has very kindly and generously offered to let us temporarily use some of their space, and we hope to determine the viability of that on Monday.

We have been deluged with kind offers from people who wish to volunteer and donate goods. Unfortunately, we will have to provide our services in the time being in much smaller spaces that won't accommodate volunteers or allow for much storage space. The best way people can reach out to help in this very challenging time is by making monetary donations. Please go to our website at www.aliforneycenter.org/hurricanesandy

It is heartbreaking to see this space come to such a sad end. For the past seven years it has been a place of refuge to thousands of kids reeling from being thrown away by their parents for being LGBT. For many of these kids coming to our drop-in center provided their first encounter with a loving and affirming LGBT community. I thank all of you for your care and support in a most difficult time.

- Carl Siciliano

Please help us by donating HERE
ALi Forney Center Donation Page

[PalJoey]

Posted: 11/4/12 at 11:33pm

For those who live in NYC, there is a fundraiser for the Ali Forney Center Sunday November 11 from 5 to 8 PM at Industry Bar, suggested donation $20:

https://www.facebook.com/events/280034832114747/

[PalJoey]

Posted: 11/5/12 at 11:15am

From an article in today's L.A. Times about Twitter during the hurricane:

===


The story was this: The Ali Forney Drop-In Center filled up with four feet of water.

A lot of places in Manhattan got hit pretty hard, but there was reason to be especially concerned about this 1,200-square-foot office: It served New York’s homeless LGBT teenage population – the fringe of the fringe, kids turned out from home for being gay, kids who had to sleep on subways and sometimes turn to prostitution when they didn’t have a place to stay at night.

The drop-in center was ruined, its floors buckled, its electrical outlets filled with sea salt. So Ali Forney founder Carl Siciliano put out a call for help on Facebook.

Then a popular gay blogger named Joe My God picked up the message and ran with it.

And then Twitter – specifically, the people on it -- ran with it.

Pam Grier tweeted the news to hundreds of thousands of followers, Joseph Gordon-Levitt tweeted it to hundreds of thousands more, and in less than 24 hours, the Ali Forney Center had received more than 900 donations totaling $100,000, Siciliano said in an interview Sunday evening.

“We’ve never had a day where $100,000 came in online before,” he told the Los Angeles Times. “That’s actually kind of phenomenal. And it shows the power of social media to do good.”

Although LGBT youth had historically been marginalized by traditional, mainstream institutions, Siciliano said, now the community could rally around those needing help the most. And social media helped make it happen, allowing people to help each other without waiting for someone else to tell them what to do.
Twitter in the time of Sandy: A few lies, and then redemption

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 11/5/12 at 2:17pm

Donated yesterday - I hope they get things up and running as quickly as possible.

And, I would love a thread of good charities to donate to for relief efforts other than the Red Cross.

While I think ARC does good work, I also have had issues with them in the past. If there are other groups recommended by folks impacted, I would love to know.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 11/5/12 at 5:50pm

United Way is pretty good.