The White House on Friday announced
that it would honor Carl Siciliano, the founder of New York City's
Ali Forney Center (AFC), the city's only organization devoted to
homeless gay youth.
The 10-year-old AFC offers 77 shelter
beds in 4 scattered sites in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Over 1,000
young people use the group's services each year. The group's drop-in
centers offer homeless LGBT youth access to medical and mental health
care, hot meals, clothing and vocational assistance.
The White House will honor Siciliano as
a Champion of Change in the Fight Against Youth Homelessness during
an event to be held on Thursday, July 12.
“It is thrilling that as we celebrate
the 10th anniversary of the Ali Forney Center, we are also being
recognized by the White House for our pioneering work on behalf of
homeless LGBT youth,” Siciliano said in a statement posted on the
group's blog.
“When we opened the Ali Forney Center, the challenges we faced
were daunting; there was very little awareness of the plight of
homeless LGBT youth, especially on the federal level, and it was
difficult to obtain support for our work. I am very grateful to
President Obama for recognizing the needs of homeless LGBT youth and
incorporating their care into his vision of ending youth
homelessness. I am also grateful to the White House for recognizing
the quality, innovation, and importance of the Ali Forney Center,
which is a testament to all of the individuals who have served on the
board, staff and as volunteers.”