Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Ali Forney Center Destroyed By Sandy Flooding

One of the casualties of Hurricane Sandy's landfall in the New Jersey-New York region was the Ali Forney Center in New York's Chelsea neighborhood. 

The Ali Forney Center (AFC) started in June 2002 in response to fulfilling a need for a safe shelter for LGBTIQ kids in the New York Area.  It has grown to become the nation's largest organization of its kind serving homeless LGBT youth.  It provides food, shelter, education, HIV testing and treatment, mental health and substance abuse services.and other medical attention for them.

The center's location was in Chelsea half a block from the Hudson River.  The Hurricane Sandy storm surge driven flooding left four feet of water in the center and destroyed their phones, computers, refrigerator, food and supplies.  Complicating matters is the flooding left the space uninhabitable. 

The AFC takes care of 300 people a month and 1000 people a year.  While they were planning to move to a new 24 hour center in Harlem, that space won't be ready for the full services this vulnerable population needs for several months.

The Ali Forney Center team is asking for help.   They have temporarily relocated to the NYC LGBT center located at 208 W. 13th St  (between 7th and 8th Avenues)  with operation hours from 10 AM-5:30 PM EST.  Phone number is 646-358-1755

They are also asking for cash donations or checks only at this time.  

Ali Forney Center/ATTN: Andria Ottley
224 West 35th St, Suite 1500
New York, NY 10001

They have no place to store food, supplies,  clothing or utilize extra volunteers and when they have that capability or need that type of assistance, they will reach out to supporters of the AFC at that time.





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