The Ali Forney Center Hosts Their Inaugural Fall Dinner

On Thursday, October 7, The Ali Forney Center's inaugural Fall dinner, A Place at the Table, raised over $100,000 to support the homeless LGBT youth that the center serves. Over 120 guests came to support AFC at this intimate and meaningful event hosted by Tony Award winning actor Denis O'Hare. The center announced and honored its first Advocate Award recipients who included Mitchell Gold (co-founder of Mitchell Gold+Bob William), Joe Jervis (the blogger behind Joe My God) and Ksen Pallegedara (a graduate of the Ali Forney Center).

The event took place at the beautiful 91 Event Space (91 Horatio St.) and the exquisite dinner was catered by The Upper Crust. In addition to dinner, guests enjoyed a silent and live auction, and a performance by jazz extraordinaire Natalie Douglass. Event attendees included Ally Sheedy, Jeffrey Banks, Mike Ruiz and Ryan Nickulas.

The Ali Forney Center (AFC) was started in June 2002 in response to the lack of safe shelter for LGBT youth in New York City. They have grown quickly to become the nation's largest and most comprehensive organization dedicated to homeless LGBT youth. They are committed to providing LGBT youth with safe, dignified, nurturing environments where their needs can be met and where they can begin to put their lives back together. The center provides short and long term housing in Manhattan and Brooklyn, plus free medical care, HIV testing, mental health services, showers, food, computer access and job training and placement at its drop-in centers in Chelsea and Brooklyn. AFC hosts other benefits throughout the year such as the summer fundraiser, Oasis, and the spring benefit, Broadway Beauty Pageant.

Omar Reyes, Wil Fisher, and Matt Levison

Mike Ruiz and guest

Ryan Nickulas and John Elenterio

NY Imperial Court

Bill Torres, Ksen Pallagedara, Carl Siciliano, Mildred Ramos and Raymond Brown

Mitchell Gold, and John Polly

Host Denis O'Hare

Joe Jervis and Carl Siciliano