Attention NYCers - Please Take Action and Save the AFC Day Center!!
Hi all,
For those in NYC (and beyond), the Ali Forney Center is a critical provider of services for homeless LGBT youth in New York and is a national model for work in this area. As you may know, Mayor Bloomberg cut the funding stream to the Ali Forney Center’s Day Center, which is the only drop-in center for homeless LGBT youth in New York City. I hope that by getting the word out, and generating letters from the community, Mayor Bloomberg will restore funding and allow the Day Center to keep its doors open. On Oct. 14, several elected officials spoke out against the funding cut at a press conference at the Center. Your help spreading the word is much appreciated. See the Action Alert below for more info.
Thanks,
Rhodes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 27, 2008
Contact:
Cathy Renna, Renna Communications, 917-757-6123, cathy@rennacommunications.com
Simon Aronoff, 202-510-6705, Renna Communications, simon@rennacommunications.com
THE ALI FORNEY CENTER: ACTION ALERT
CALL ON MAYOR BLOOMBERG TO RESTORE FUNDING TO NYC’S ONLY DROP-IN CENTER FOR HOMELESS LGBT YOUTH
NEW YORK, NY - The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has announced that it will cease allocating HOPWA funds to support the drop-in services at the Ali Forney Center (AFC). AFC’s Chelsea based drop-in center is the only drop-in center for homeless LGBT youth in New York City. Last year over 500 youths received care at the Day Center, including food, housing assistance, medical and mental health treatment, and HIV prevention and testing services. This year a City Council funded census indicated that there are over 1,000 LGBT youths suffering homelessness on the streets of our city, and there are currently fewer than 75 emergency beds available to this population. The drop-in services are a critically important component in the support system for these kids.
On October 14, political leaders spoke out against the funding cuts at the Ali Forney Day Center. Congressman Jerrold Nadler, Borough President Scott Stringer, Assemblymembers Dick Gottfried and Deborah Glick, and Ali Forney Executive Director Carl Siciliano urged the Mayor to restore key funding for homeless and at-risk LGBT youth in New York City.
Please take a moment to show your support for these vulnerable kids in this moment of crisis.
Click Here for more information: http://www.aliforneycenter.org/about.html
TAKE ACTION!
Please write an email to the mayor expressing your concerns by CLICKING HERE: http://www.nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.bd08ee7c7c1ffec87c4b36d501c789a0/index.jsp?doc_name=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nyc.gov%2Fhtml%2Fmail%2Fhtml%2Fmayor.html
Copy and paste the text from the sample letter below, or write your own comments.
Thank you for your support!!
You can also call, fax or mail the mayor a letter at:
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
PHONE 311 (or 212-NEW-YORK outside NYC) FAX (212) 788-2460
SAMPLE LETTER:
Dear Mayor Bloomberg:
I am writing this to request your assistance in preventing the defunding of the Ali Forney Center's drop-in Services to homeless LGBT youth. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has announced that in 2009 it will cease allocating HOPWA funds to the drop-in services of the Ali Forney Center, resulting in the defunding of New York City's only drop-in center for homeless LGBT youth. The closure of this program would create a terrible service gap for homeless LGBT youths and would put their lives at risk.
Of particular concern is the loss of HIV prevention, testing and treatment that would result from the center's closure. As recent studies have indicated that HIV is spreading most rapidly in Black and Latino men who have sex with men under the age of 30, the loss of the comprehensive and innovative HIV services at AFC's drop-in center would be catastrophic.
Please see to it that the HOPWA funds are restored, or that new funding is put in place to ensure the continuation of these invaluable services to the homeless LGBT youth of our City.
# # #