Brody's Journal... Ali Forney Centre Really Needs Your Help

Joe Jervis is publisher and editor of the widely popular LGBTQ News & Activist website, Joe.My.God and is a supporter of the Ali Forney Centre in New York City for at risk and homeless LGBTQ youth.

By Joe Jervis (New York, New York) JAN 4 | Alan Cumming, Justin Bond, Dan Choi and others (including me) speak in support of the Ali Forney Center, which has seen its funding dramatically cut by New York City. You can help. Hundreds of gay kids will spend tonight sleeping on the subway or worse.

RELATED: Jervis reports that in his just-released 'It Gets Better' video, [Link] New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg tells gay kids, "New York City wants you." Jervis notes; "Ah Mr. Mayor? Um, something something Ali Forney Center funding cuts, cough cough."

Ali Forney Center executive director Carl Siciliano responds:

"Two days after slashing support to homeless youth programs in New York City, Mayor Bloomberg has the gall to release a video telling LGBT youth that 'It Gets Better.' 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."