Category Archives: Non-Profit News and Events
Folsom Street East presents: A Fetish for Fashion February 12
For those of us who prefer our roses thorny and our candy hard,
Folsom Street East proudly presents
A Fetish for Fashion,
our first annual runway show and charity auction to benefit the LGBT Community Center. We invite you to join us on the 3rd floor of 208 West 13th Street on Saturday, February 12th for an evening of polymorphously provocative fetishwear from The NY Eagle Shop, The Leather Man, Wonderwear, and ManSkins NYC.
The night’s festivities will also include a special appearance by #1 Billboard charting artist Sylvia Tosun , who will be performing her new single, “World Keeps Turning.”
We can’t think of a better way to kick off Fashion Week in NYC — and support a worthy cause — than with a runway presentation showcasing some of the city’s fiercest leather/fetish/kink-wear designs.
In addition to the runway presentation, this year’s event will also include a cocktail reception and silent auction of luxury adult items to benefit The Center – including our own “Million-Dollar Jock,” which would make even the bravest Victoria’s Secret model blush and turn in her wings.
Doors open at 7pm on Saturday night, with the show kicking off around 8pm.
Admission for the cocktail reception, auction, and fashion show is $10 for standing room and $15 for seats (while they last) and includes one drink ticket.
The after-party will be held at the NY Eagle on 28th Street, with drink specials throughout the evening for fashion show attendees presenting their FSE wristband.
Best Gay New York.com
Mayor Bloomberg SLASHES Support for Homeless Youth…Then Says “It Gets Better” to the Youths!
Bloomberg recorded an “It Gets Better” video yesterday, in which he urged bullied gay youth to come to New York City where they would be accepted. Ok, so you are cutting support – yet encouraging youths to come to New York City….WTF?!
Bloomberg says in the video: “Right now there may be some of you out there who feel that there’s no hope, or that you’re not wanted. Well I have a message for you. New York City wants you. New York has always been the place where anyone can go, and be who they’re supposed to be, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexual identity. We need you.”
This whole It Gets Better movement is becoming kind of silly. Even President Obama has said “It Gets Better”. Really Barack?
Carl Siciliano, Executive Director of the Ali Forney Center, which provides shelter and services for homeless LGBT youth, said “Mayor Bloomberg, your cruel and reckless cuts to the meager support system for homeless LGBT youth in New York City just made things for them much worse! On January 1st, Bloomberg cut support for outreach to homeless youth in half, cut most drop-in centers for homeless youth by a third, and cut support for the two LGBT homeless youth drop-in programs in half. In New York City there are over 1,000 LGBT youth suffering on the streets every night without access to safe shelter. The drop-in centers and outreach are their only support. Homeless LGBT youth are at incredible risk of suicide with 62% reporting that they have considered or attempted suicide.
The LGBT community needs to recognize these cuts as an attack against our most vulnerable youth, and against us as a whole. We pay just as much taxes as anyone, and there are far too few City-funded programs that support our most vulnerable youth. If we can be treated like this in a city with as strong an community as NYC, how will our youth ever get their fair share of the resources they need and deserve? I cannot speak strongly enough about what a horror it is to have LGBT youth who have been discarded by homophobic parents flock to us for help, and to have to counsel them to sleep in the subways because there are not nearly enough beds for them.”
Best of Gay New York.com
FCKH8 Male Model Calendar and Shirts
40,000 T-shirts
over $250,000 for queer youth suicide prevention and the fight for marriage equality!
WOW!
This is even bigger than NOH8 !
The latest F-word-filled viral video from FCKH8.com
features a cross section of people, including a 5-year old child, drag queens and an old woman, Pussycat Doll Jessica Sutta and YouTube sensation “Kelly” (known for her over 40-million-viewed video “Shoes”) using the forbidden four-letter word to take “Homo H8ers” to task.
The no-holds-barred clip shows people wearing purple and white T-shirts that read “FCKH8”, “Don’t B H8N on the Homos” and “STR8 AGAINST H8.” The T-shirts are sold on the video’s website starting at $13 each, with $5 going directly to organizations offering vital counseling & suicide prevention programs. The website also sells bumper stickers, hoodies, wristbands and buttons to help spread its message. Which are all selling like crazy!
The website’s message and fundraising T-shirts have found support from some of Hollywoods biggest gay names with Ellen Degeneres and wife Portia deRossi snagging pins and stickers reading “Some Chicks Marry Chicks. Get Over It” and Glee’s Jane Lynch posing for photos to promote the fundraising T-shirt with the same slogan. Glam rocker Adam Lambert tweeted the video’s link to almost a million fans saying, “It’s for a good cause. Sometimes fire w/ fire is a great way to illustrate a point.”
The controversial but humorous video rails against anti-gay bigots at home, church and school with lines like, “You bully your kids, you bury your kids“, “Preaching FCKed up hate has a lot to do with the suicide rate”, and a little 4 year-old girl exclaiming, “If I grow up lesbo, do you want me to FCKing get gay bashed?”
JUST OUT!
STR8 Against H8″ 2011 Charity Calendar and Sexy Behind the Scenes Video Shows What It Looks Like When “STR8 Guys Take It Off So the Homos Can Get Their Rights On” .
What happens when the gay rights activists at FCKH8.com get their hands on a dozen or so straight dudes? The “STR8 AGAINST H8” 2011 Charity Calendar shows homo-friendly straight guys stripped down and oiled up looking picture-perfect sexy for a good cause. The FCKH8.com website sells the 13-month charity calendars online and also features a 4 minute behind the scenes video featurette that captures all the sexy shenanigans that happened during the photo shoot. The hot and humorous “making of” video features athletic, good-looking half-nude straight models in compromising positions and pushes the line with straight men’s “junk” needing to be blurred out.
“These guys are more than just good-looking, they are helping out a good cause,” says director Luke Montgomery. “Who hasn’t wanted to get their hands on some hot straight boys walking around in just their underwear and jockstraps? We loved every minute of it and it shows in the calendar’s sexy photos.”
GET YOUR FCKH8 STUFF TODAY !
BE A PART OF THE MOVEMENT!
Holidays and Dogs from Best Friends.org
Frazzled from shopping yet? Tired of the crowds?
This will put a smile on your face!
Watch these adorable dogs decorate cookies and get ready to celebrate the holidays in style. They’re not only spreading good cheer, they have an important message to share— Make a holiday wish come true for a homeless dog or cat…ADOPT!
Best Friends Animal Society is a nonprofit organization building no-kill programs and partnerships that will bring about a day when there are No More Homeless Pets®. At the core of Best Friends’ work is the dream that one day kindness will replace cruelty, and animals will no longer be destroyed because they are unwanted or imperfect. Spaying and neutering will be the rule for all pets and adoption will be the first option for everyone. Making this dream a reality is the mission we call No More Homeless Pets. The society’s leading initiatives in animal care and community programs are coordinated from its Kanab, Utah, headquarters, the country’s largest no-kill sanctuary. This work is made possible by the personal and financial support of a grassroots network of supporters and community partners across the nation. For more information visit: http://www.bestfriends.org/
WATCH THE VIDEO NOW !
(there are lots of fun videos on their site – sure to make you smile!)
Gay & Lesbian Big Apple Corps Symphonic Band December 4th
As one of the first gay bands in the world, the Lesbian and Gay Big Apple Corp’s is a non-profit, 501c3 organization dedicated to promoting equality and social acceptance through music. LGBAC is the premier ensemble for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender musicians, and their friends, within the New York City metropolitan area.
The Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corp’s Fall season begins with “Come Follow the Band !” on December 4 at Symphony Space .
Take a musical journey that will keep your toes tapping to Broadway show tunes, familiar works for band, and other favorites. Come hear the LGBAC present music for band from Mendelssohn to the Beatles, with some Holst, Grainger, Richard Rodgers show tunes, Corigliano, and others.
Special guests include Conductor Jonathan Strasser and Host Raphael Miranda from WNBC 4.
The band will also honor Pulitzer Prize- and Academy Award-winning composer John Corigliano with the Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps Profile in Leadership Award for his exemplary contributions to music and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.
Tickets are available from the Symphony Space box office (ONLINE or 212.864.5400).
The concert is approximately two hours and there is one 15-minute intermission.
The Stonewall Swim August 21st
On August 21,
fifty (50) LGBT athletes
will take a daring plunge into
the Great South Bay.
They will swim from Sayville to the Fire Island Pines (approximately 3.5 miles!) to raise money for the Stonewall Community Foundation . These disciplined athletes have been training for months and your support is needed!
Stonewall was begun as a collection of advised-funds and endowments by like-minded donors concerned about creating a vibrant and healthy lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Today, Stonewall is a full service community foundation seeking the participation of everyone interested in bettering our community.
Since 1990, the foundation has distributed more than $14 million in grants. Grantmaking from Stonewall’s general fund concentrates on the needs of organizations in the five boroughs of New York, while Donor-advised funds support a variety of organizations locally and throughout the country.
Stonewall supporters envision a community of shared resources where donors, funders and organizations work together, joined by a commitment to strengthen one another. Stonewall is dedicated to increasing charitable giving within the community today while building a strong endowment for tomorrow.
CHARLIE FINLAY is a newly elected board member –
He says, “My role will not be as a swimmer this year (I will be kayaking across the bay with a team to monitor the swimmers). I have committed to raising $2,500 for this event, and I ask that you please help me reach my fundraising goal by sponsoring me — just follow these 5 simple steps:
1. Go to: https://www.clubassistant.com/club/shopping_cart/merchandise.cfm?c=1535
2. Click “Add to Cart” in the “Sponsor a Fundraiser” line (second to last item)
3. Choose my name CHARLIE FINLAY from the “Fundraiser” drop-down menu (very important!)
4. Enter the amount of your donation, then click “Proceed to Checkout”
5. Enter your contact information, followed by credit card information, and click “Submit.”
PLEASE HELP THIS GREAT CAUSE!
Broadway Hottie Kyle Deschamps talks with Gay Life NYC.org
gaylifenyc.org founder
Michael Cavnaugh chats with
Broadway Star and featured Dancer
Kyle Deschamps for Broadway Bares XX on June 20th.
You may have seen him in Billy Elliott, now see this super hot guy talk about his life, his rugged manly background, and Broadway Bares this year. He’s hot, he’s single and the nicest guy you would ever want to see.
And get this, he is a Wilderness Survival Expert – and he loves adventure including Sky Diving. He is about to become certified, after which time he may become an instructor. You know what that means? You could go sky diving with Kyle on your back, holding on to you!
Michael also chats with the some of the cast from “Promises, Promises” and has some great footage of the Broadway Bares solo strip at Splash!
You can watch all the new videos (plus explore lots of useful and
entertaining information by stopping by Gay Life NYC.org .
24th Night of a Thousand Gowns A Smashing Success!
It was like seeing 5 Broadway shows in one night!
24th Annual NIGHT OF A THOUSAND GOWNS delivered endless entertainment as the star-studded event featured “Broadway Bares” performing “Football Strip “and Stimulus Package.” Broadway ‘s Terri White (Finian’s Rainbow) was there, along with legendary dance music artist Crystal Waters, Dance-pop singer Kristine W., Pop vocalist Kelly King, Drag Diva Coco Peru, and Drag legend Jesse Volt. Ari Gold, Sherry Vine, countless celebrities were all on hand for this annual magnificent charity benefit!
ANDREW DICKINSON was on hand filming and covering the entire evening! He got to chat with Jerry Mitchell, Sahara Davenport, Ari Gold, Lt. Dan Choi, the head of God’s Love We Deliver and some of the attendees!
Watch his awesome video online.
Andrew will be doing some filmwork in New York City and for us soon!!
EMAIL ANDREW at andytdickinson @ gmail.com
Visit their Production Company FaceBook Page KITANO PICTURES
New York Broadway Bares in Times Square with the Imperial Court
The fundraiser, which is produced by The Imperial Court of New York, will be held on Saturday, March 27th at Times Square’s Marriott Marquis Hotel to benefit Broadway Cares /Equity Fights AIDS and God’s Love We Deliver. Celebrating diversity with humor, heart, and humanitarianism, the Court puts the “fun” in fundraising.
The star-studded event will feature “Broadway Bares” performing “Football Strip “and Stimulus Package.” Broadway ‘s Terri White (Finian’s Rainbow) will appear, along with legendary dance music artist Crystal Waters, Dance-pop singer Kristine W., Pop vocalist Kelly King, Drag Diva Coco Peru, Drag legend Jesse Volt.
Broadway’s Tony-Award winning Jerry Mitchell will be honored with a knighthood from The Court in recognition of charitable work as the creator and executive producer of Broadway Bares, which has benefited Broadway Cares since 1992.
Over 1,000 people will attend this Annual Ball from all around the United States and abroad – among them, some of New York’s most fashionable. Because of its special brand of “community service with flair,” the event will be a “night to remember.”
The main event of the Ball is the midnight coronation of the next Imperial Court Monarchs. The event includes a full-course dinner, entertainment, Viennese Dessert Buffet, open bar, dancing, and a silent auction.
Broadway Bares items, such as VIP tickets to Broadway Bares 20: Stripopoly , autographed framed posters, the DVD Collection of X through 19.0, among other memorabilia will be available at the silent auction.
This year’s Honorary Chairs include: Michael Feinstein, Leslie Jordan, Jerry Mitchell, Dame Joan Rivers, and Dame Robin Strasser.
Best Gay New York
Schmitty and Pudge – Yorkies Twittering and Tweeting in Manhattan for Charity
Even more unbelievable – the two cute Yorkies were taking pet trick requests from followers on Twitter who were watching online from all over – even Egypt and Japan.
This Friday and Saturday, Dec, 11th and 12th, Schmitty and Pudge will once again be taking pet trick requests on Twitter in the store window of Lee’s Art Shop in Manhattan to benefit pets in need. Some of the popular requests also include their show stopping “Ring the Bell” trick, hide & seek, play dead, roll over, and speak. Passers-by and online followers alike even enjoy watching them sleep – which they do a lot. Schmitty & Pudge are becoming America’s real live virtual pets.
Besides taking donations, Schmitty’s Healthy Do’s & Don’ts 2010 calendar along Schmitty’s signature New Yorkie products sold at Lee’s Art Shop and online, they are giving a portion of the proceeds to Bobbi & The Strays – a local no-kill animal shelter. Lee’s Art Shop is matching the funds raised during the “New Yorkie In The Window” event.
Schmitty The Real New Yorkie is no stranger to giving back. Through her line of New Yorkie Greeting Cards, this five pound Yorkshire terrier began raising money for the Uniformed Firefighters Association Scholarship Fund after 9/11. Now through the Dogs Who Care Foundation, started in response to Hurricane Katrina, Schmitty The Real New Yorkie raises money to help pets in need find loving homes.
Schmitty has been on The Ellen Show, ACCESS Hollywood, Fox & Friends – even Japanese TV to bark about DOGS WHO CARE. A portion of the proceeds from all Schmitty’s products goes to Dogs Who Care to help pets in need across the country.
SCHMITTY
Have Doctors Found A Way To Kill HIV in it’s Tracks?!
Actors, performers, comedians, HIV activists, and scientists come together for this PSA to show support for Covalent Immunology, and Dr. Sudhir Paul. The Cast includes Lady Bunny, Justin Bond, Ben Andrews, Angie Pontani, Kristen Renton, Thea Gill, Wilson Cruz, The Pixie Harlots, and Hydeia Broadbent.
$5 is all it takes – lets face it, a cure and vaccine isn’t gonna come from the big pharma, its gonna come from a brilliant scholar/researcher…DR. PAUL!!
WATCH THE VIDEO
END HIV Covalent Immunology Foundation
Commentary by Lyndon Evans – Focus on the Rainbow
READ MORE AT FOX NEWS
Habitat for Humanity New York City First Unity Build, June 12
Due to popular demand, and in honor of Gay Pride Month, Habitat for Humanity – New York City will host its first annual Unity Build on Friday, June 12, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at the nonprofit’s South Bronx construction site.
Volunteers from the LGBT community are invited to help build affordable Habitat-NYC homes for families in need. No construction experience is necessary, but participants must be 16 or older and pre-registered. Lunch, tools and training will be provided.
Unity Build participants are asked to raise a minimum of minimum of $250, which helps finance the construction of the homes. Habitat-NYC provides an online fundraising tool and support that makes is easy for individuals to reach their goals.
“Habitat-NYC celebrates the great diversity of New York City, and we are pleased to bring members of the LGBT community together to build affordable, eco-friendly and healthy homes for hardworking New York families,” said Josh Lockwood, Executive Director of Habitat-NYC.
Working on a Habitat-NYC Unity Build construction site is a great way to learn new skills, network, make new friends and work alongside people skilled in construction and some of the families who will own these homes.
To ensure site safety, Habitat-NYC can accommodate only 20 volunteers on site. To learn more about Unity Build, or to register, please go to Habitat NYC, click on Events and follow the links to Unity Build, or contact James Andrews at jandrews@habitatnyc.org or 212-991-4000 x. 330.
Habitat for Humanity – New York City transforms lives and our city by building quality homes for families in need and by uniting all New Yorkers around the cause of affordable housing.
The Best of Gay New York
Joan Rivers Wins Celebrity Apprentice and $500,000 for Gods Love We Deliver!
“You’re Hired”!
With these two wonderful words from Donald Trump, the audience at the finale of “The Celebrity Apprentice” burst into applause (and some tears) for Joan Rivers, this year’s “Celebrity Apprentice.”
No one could be happier for Joan than God’s Love We Deliver, which will receive the winner’s check in the amount of $250,000! All totaled, Joan won over $500,000 for God’s Love We Deliver. These funds will help God’s Love continue to meet the overwhelming demand for our services, and provide even more nutritious meals to people who are sick and hungry.
Through the course of many grueling weeks of competition, Joan beat out 14 other celebrity contestants, including Clint Black, Herschel Walker, Andrew Dice Clay, Jesse James, Khloe Kardashian, Brande Roderick, and Dennis Rodman, among others, and in the finals, Annie Duke.
Joan Rivers, a God’s Love We Deliver Board Member for over 15 years, has played an enormously important role in helping to guide the agency’s growth and expansion of its life-sustaining mission during her time here. She is an amazing friend to the agency and especially to our less fortunate friends and neighbors.
The funds Joan won on “Celebrity Apprentice” will provide over 56,000 meals and unlimited nutrition counseling for the clients of God’s Love We Deliver. Said Joan, “It was a grueling competition, but anything I can do to strengthen God’s Love We Deliver and help them provide more nutritious meals is well worth it.”
ABOUT GOD’S LOVE WE DELIVER:
God’s Love We Deliver is the New York City metropolitan area’s leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to preparing and delivering over 3,300 nutritious, life-sustaining meals each weekday to men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease and other life altering illnesses. Since its founding in 1986, the agency has delivered nearly 10 million meals and has never had a waiting list. God’s Love We Deliver also provides free unlimited nutrition counseling to each of its meal program clients, family members and other service providers. All of the organization’s services are provided free of charge.
The Best of Gay New York
AIDS Walk New York May 17th Central Park
We urge you to take this important step in the fight against AIDS by registering for the Annual AIDS Walk New York. The funds you raise will go toward assisting thousands of people living with HIV/AIDS throughout the tri-state area.
Since 1986, AIDS Walk New York has raised more than $105 million for HIV programs and services, and has grown into the largest AIDS fundraising event in the world.
In 2008 alone, 45,000 participants, many of whom were members of 2,450 corporate and community teams, raised a record sum of over $7 million for Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) and 50 other local AIDS service organizations.
AIDS Walk New York will take place on Sunday, May 17, 2009. The AIDS 10k Walk begins and ends in Central Park.
Find out more and register online at AIDS WALK NEW YORK!
The Best of Gay New York
NextWorks Networking Event – With Broadway Bares and SPLASH bar – April 7th
NextWorks
A Great Networking Night!
Tues April 7th, 6-9pm
Splash bar
This is a special celebration where BCEFA will announce the name and theme of the 2009 BROADWAY BARES event in June. Dont miss it!!!!
This event will feature:
– No Cover! FREE REGISTRATION ONLINE
– Cocktail Specials!
– Prizes
– Hundreds of Amazing Guys!
– Stars from the upcoming Broadway Bares!
Splash, 50 West 17th Street B/W 5th and 6th, NYC
Ticket Reservations being taken NOW for Broadway Bares 19 – online!
2 shows! 9:30pm and Midnight!
The Best of Gay New York
Harvey Redding’s Painted Boy Gay Art Fair
PAINTED BOY ART FAIR
Saturday April 4, 11am- 7pm / Sunday, April 5, 12 am- 6pm
LGBT Center, 208 W. 13 St. N.Y.
Admission to the Fair: $20., $15 with coupon
The Saturday and Sunday general public schedule boasts over 50 vendors with more than 5,000 unambiguously gay artworks created by provocative local, national and international artists. Representing our multi-hued community, captivating emerging talents join forces with gay art legends, who will be heralded throughout this hallucinating event. Navigating through The Painted Boy is easy, with humorous street signs directing our art-collectors-to-be, through the maze of artist’s booths. Strolling, handsome models, guest porn stars, as well as mere- mortals, are summoned into each venue by colorful signage.
This art show will feature the work of Hugh Hysell.
(VIP Gala will be Friday April 3rd 7-10pm. )
The Best of Gay New York!
The Center – New York Gay and Lesbian Community Center
In December 1983, the New York City Board of Estimates approved the sale of the former Food and Maritime Trades High School, located at 208 West 13th Street, to the Lesbian & Gay Community Services Center, Inc., for $1.5 million. In its first year, 60 groups met regularly at the Center. Today more than 300 groups call the Center home. From the beginning, the Center has served to fortify and enrich the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
The Center itself produces many health-related, civic, and cultural programs. In the next several pages you will read in detail about these programs; each was conceived to meet a need that was not already being met elsewhere. Each Center program, in some way, seeks to allow us to become more fully aware of ourselves.
Programs produced by the Center include Youth Enrichment Services (YES), an activities-based program for LGBT youth; Center Orientation, produced in-house and in all the boroughs of New York City; Center Kids, the Center’s family project; the Pat Parker/Vito Russo Center Library, New York City’s largest LGBT lending library; the National Museum and the National Archive of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender History; and Promote the Vote, one of the largest LGBT voter registration and mobilization projects in the United States, created in 1992.
“The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center provides a home for the birth, nurture and celebration of our organizations, institutions and culture; cares for our individuals and groups in need; educates the public and our community; and empowers our individuals and groups to achieve their fullest potential.”
There is always lots going on at The Center! Next week, on April 1st, 6PM Times Talks: With Harvey & Family ! Join four-time Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein and some of his own theatrical family as they celebrate his career and the 25th anniversary of Manhattan’s LGBT Community Center. With performances from “Torch Song Trilogy,” “Safe Sex,” “La Cage aux Folles” and “A Catered Affair,” featuring Faith Prince and composer/lyricist John Bucchino. Moderated by Jesse Green, New York Times contributing writer.
BUY TICKETS ONLINE. Only $27!
THE CENTER (212) 620-7310
The Best of Gay New York
