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JINGLES BENEFIT AT CHRISTMAS

Jingles Benefit

Hello darlings, welcome back to Cognac’s Corner. I attend the Jingles Benefit at Christmas time every year which is hosted annually by the glamorous Linda Simpson at the home of Richard Bahl and David Raleigh. I had a chance to chat and interview several noteworthy celebrities that had a chance to come and show their support like Mimi Valdez, Trail-a-Trash, Adam Joseph and Bridget Everett as well as bring cheer and perform wonderful festive Christmas tunes for the fabulous Holiday Season.

I also had a chance to interview Mr. Carl Siciliano who is the founder and Executive Director of the Ali Forney Center. In response to the lack of safe shelters for gay youths, Mr. Siciliano decided to make a difference and the Ali Forney (AFC) was started in June of 2002.


Mimi Valdez and Cognac Wellerlane Photo by Shane Gritzinger

In our conversation and interview he mentioned to me that New York City can be a lonely place for youths that become tragically homeless. The Ali Forney Center makes a difference by rescuing gay youngsters from the dangers and brutality of New York City Streets by placing them in homelike nurturing safe environments.

Tragically as many as 25% of these teens are rejected by their families and end up homeless on the streets and then subjected to violence in homeless shelters. Many of them suffer from trauma, HIV infection, substance abuse and mental illness.

The Ali Forney Day Center and Emergency Center are some of the marvelous services that are offered. The Day Center is the entry point to programs for homeless youths. The center offers street outreach, case management, referral to housing programs, primary medical care, HIV testing, food and showers and mental health assessment and treatment.

AFC is committed to providing gay youths a safe haven where their needs can be met, and where they can begin to put their lives back together and is also dedicated to promoting awareness in the United States with the goal of generating responses on local and national levels from government funding, LGBT community and foundations.

For more information darlings, please visit www.aliforneycenter.org

Have a Very Merry Pink Champagne Christmas

Until my next celebrity event darlings,

Pink Champagne Kisses
Cognac Wellerlane
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December 21, 2006 11:09 AM Eastern

 

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