From Allanah Starrs Myspace:
Help Out Homeless Transgendered Youth This Holiday Season
Did you know that it is estimated that of all homeless youth in NYC, 60% identify as Trans, Lesbian, Gay, or Bisexual?
Some of these kids come from out of state to NYC, chasing the dream of just being themselves. Many are discarded by their parents for being Trans or gay. Some have suffered physical and sexual abuse, often from members of their own families. So yes, they leave home or are tossed out. Constant verbal and physical abuse at school drives them from there, as well.
No family, no school. Imagine you are 15, 16 or 17. No money, no family, big city, its’ cold, and you are hungry and no place to go. Hunger and cold drives people to do things they would normally never do. Prostitution very quickly becomes the means by which these young people survive. I guarantee you that no one wakes up one day and says ‘When I grow up, I want to be a prostitute” And of course, when you are down you want to get high—here come the drugs. It’s a horrible, vicious cycle.
All this for just trying to be the person you really are. 24/7 Living the dream?
Some of you reading this are already aware of SLYVIA’S PLACE here in NYC. Sylvia’s provides emergency, overnight shelter to these homeless kids. A shower and a meal are provided as well. Sylvia’s is located in the basement of the Metropolitan Community Church , and while some cots are available, many of the kids sleep on a few blankets on the concrete floor.
As many of you know, The Nowhere Bar, The Girls of Lucky Stiffs, and The Transgender Project have organized several very successful clothing drives for the kids at Sylvia’s. While clothing is always needed and appreciated, this season the emphasis is on food. Food banks and pantries everywhere are having a really bad time of it this year. In these difficult economic times, I don’t know of anyone who is doing all that great, but
IT IS TIME FOR ALL OF US TO STEP UP.
Beginning RIGHT NOW, you can bring non perishable food items to The Nowhere Bar. John, the GM there has graciously set aside room to temporarily store your donations. Any night you can be in the area is a good time to drop off even just one or two items. This time of year almost everyone winds up with one extra can of green beans or sweet potatoes—donate them! That can of sardines that seemed like a good idea 6 months ago—that works! Cereal, oatmeal, peanut butter…..whatever—IT’S ALL GOOD. Nothing goes to waste here.
Now then, my REAL reason for all this:
Christmas and Family
What is it about Christmas and being with family? Thanksgiving is certainly a big family day, but we all seem to survive it even if we can’t be with family. But Christmas Day can be incredibly depressing for those of us who can’t be with family. And there are some who MIGHT be able to be with family but the strained relationships caused by being transgender can be very painful.
SO-
This Christmas, John (from Nowhere Bar) and myself are going to be at Sylvia’s Place cooking a traditional Christmas dinner for the kids and anyone else who may come by. Dinner is from 6 PM till about 10 and I would very much like to have as many of you as possible, transgender, gay, or lesbian, stop by. I know the kids will be very pleased to see that SOMEONE cared enough to share even just a little bit of their Christmas day with them. You should meet these kids. They are bright, talented and beautiful. They are also very much alone,
These are OUR kids.
This is YOUR family, your transgender family. Please save a small part of your day for them.
Food Donations:
NOWHERE BAR
322 East 14th St.
Between 1st and 2nd Aves
212 477 4744
SYLVIA’S PLACE
@ MCC Church
W. 36TH St .
Between 9th and 10th Ave
www.sylviasplace.org
Lucky S. Michaels
Director of MCCNY Homeless Youth Services
LuckyMichaels@gmail.com
212-629-7440 Ext. 226.
Mona Rae Mason
The Transgender Project
212 845 4617
mason@ndri.org
