Lea DeLaria Hosts Ali Forney Center's 'A Place at the Table' Fundraiser

On October 23, the Ali Forney Center, the nation's largest services and advocacy organization working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) runaway and homeless youth, will hold its annual A Place at the Table benefit dinner at Capitale. This year's event will celebrate the thirteenth anniversary of AFC's work to protect and empower homeless LGBT youth, and to support them in becoming safe and independent as they move from adolescence to adulthood. This year's event will be hosted by Lea Delaria from the award winning Netflix series "Orange is the New Black."

The 2015 honorees, chosen for their for their work in the LGBT community and their support and advocacy of homeless LGBT youth, include NY State Senator Brad Hoylman, Assembly Member Andrew Hevesi, Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams and AFC Alumnus Hilal Kahlil.

Hilal Kahlil was cut off from his family in 2008 for being gay and became homeless. He struggled with addiction and depression and after living in his car, Hilal became a resident of AFC. With the help and support of staff he was able to stay sober and study for the LSATs. He is now in his third year at the CUNY School of Law, where he is working on women's and LGBT issues as part of the International Women's Human Rights Clinic. �

State Senator Brad Hoylman represents New York's 27th State Senate District, which covers much of the heart of Manhattan, including the neighborhoods of Clinton/Hell's Kitchen, Chelsea, Greenwich Village, the Upper West Side, Midtown/East Midtown, Columbus Circle, Times Square, Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village, the East Village and Lower East Side. He was first elected to the State Senate in November 2012 after having spent more than 20 years as a Democratic grassroots activist in the communities he represents.

Andrew D. Hevesi was first elected to serve the residents of the 28th district in the New York State Assembly on May 10, 2005. A lifelong resident of the area, Assemblyman Hevesi has been privileged to serve the constituents of Forest Hills, Rego Park, Ridgewood, Richmond Hill, Middle Village, Glendale, and Kew Gardens.

Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, Chair of the New York State Assembly Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Committee, has established herself as a leading advocate on affordable housing, domestic violence, consumer protection, government reform, environmental issues and animal welfare and protection. She has been in office for more than nine years, and in that time has passed more than 50 laws that have helped to improve the lives of all New York State residents.

The Honorary Host Committee includes Lea DeLaria, Ann Hathaway & Adam Shulman, Anika Noni Rose, Dylan Lauren, Isis King, Mo Rocca, Sandra Bernhard, Ally Sheedy, Victor Garber, Kate Mulgrew, Alan Cumming, Padma Lakshmi, Thomas Roberts and Billy Porter.

The evening will kick off with a cocktail reception including passed hors d'oeuvres and a silent auction, followed by a sit-down dinner with an awards show, live auction and entertainment. The night continues with a VIP after-party.

Tickets are available through the Ali Forney Center, with individual tickets starting at $600. Call 212-222-3427 and ask for Alex Roque for information about higher sponsorship levels.

The Ali Forney Center (AFC) was started in June of 2002 in response to the lack of safe shelter for LGBT youth in New York City. The Center is committed to providing these young people with safe, dignified, nurturing environments where their needs can be met, and where they can begin to put their lives back together. AFC is dedicated to promoting awareness of the plight of homeless LGBT youth in the United States with the goal of generating responses on local and national levels from government funders, foundations, and the LGBT community. �

"A Place at the Table" will be held at 6 p.m. on October 23 at Capitale, 130 Bowery New York, NY 10013. For more information, visit www.aliforneycenter.org