The Palette Fund Joins as Diamond Sponsor for Jeffrey Fashion Cares
Annual event benefits Hetrick-Martin Institute, Lambda Legal Defense Fund, Gay Men’s Health Crisis, and the Lawrence King Memorial Scholarship at the Point Foundation
New York, NY (February 11, 2011) – Joining as a Diamond Sponsor, The Palette Fund joins an elite array of companies supporting the annual Jeffrey Fashion Cares charity event (JFC). The fact that 95% of the funds raised at this event go to the beneficiary organizations was a major factor in the Fund’’s decision to offer its only 2011 event sponsorship JFC.
Over the last seven years, Jeffrey Fashion Cares, New York has raised over $3.3 million. Beneficiaries will be the Hetrick-Martin Institute (HMI, home of the Harvey Milk High School) and Lambda Legal Defense Fund. In 2006, JFC added Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) as a beneficiary and in 2008 a scholarship in memory of Lawrence King was created through the Point Foundation.
"We are thrilled to be sponsoring this year’s Jeffrey Fashion Cares as all four organizations benefiting from the evening's proceeds are in line with our mission of building the capacity of emerging leaders and fostering a more inclusive environment for the LGBT community,” said Terrence Meck, The Palette Fund's Executive Director.
The Palette Fund honors the legacy of Rand Harlan Skolnick through collaborative grantmaking and programs that value human rights and education. The Foundation focuses on Nutrition & Wellness, Patient Navigation and Queer Youth. The Fund seeks to continue and grow Skolnick’s pioneering vision. Rand's partner, Terrence Meck, developed the foundation after Rand's untimely death from Pancreatic Cancer in July of 2008. Since its inception, The Palette Fund has granted more than $1 million to various organizations and programs throughout the country.
Past sponsors of Jeffrey Fashion Cares have included Coach, Prada, Nordstrom, Credit Suisse, Belvedere, Manolo Blahnik Gucci and W Hotels. They all share a commitment to the LGBT community. A commitment that is more important than ever despite recent legislative successes. Through their support of JFC, sponsors benefit an array of issues from gay health, equal rights and legal issues and at-risk LGBT youth.
Jeffrey Fashion Cares will take place on March 28, 2011,at The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, in New York City.
About Jeffrey Fashion Cares:
Jeffrey Fashion Cares was established in 1992 in Atlanta, GA, and in 2003 in New York by Jeffrey Kalinsky. The event was created to heighten awareness of the plight of people living with HIV/AIDS and members of the LGBTQ community. Over the past 17 years, Jeffrey Fashion Cares has raised over $9 million, via the Atlanta and New York events, for the LGBT community’s most important charities and non-profit organizations, with 95% of every dollar raised going directly into the coffers of our beneficiaries. www.jeffreyfashioncares.org
About The Hetrick-Martin Institute:
The Hetrick-Martin Institute, founded in 1979, is the oldest and largest not-for-profit, multi-service agency dedicated to serving gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth, providing a broad range of vital programming such as educational services for at-risk youth in The Harvey Milk High School, counseling, case management for homeless and at-risk teenagers through Supportive Services, and many other health and social services. The Institute serves youth from the five boroughs of New York City and the surrounding metropolitan area. Please visit their website, www.hmi.org, to find out more information.
About Lambda Legal:
Lambda Legal, founded in 1973, is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, and people with HIV or AIDS through impact litigation, education, and public policy work. Recently, Lambda Legal won a historical ruling by abolishing the Texas “Homosexual Conduct Law” in the U.S. Supreme Court. In addition, Lambda was responsible for the recent high court ruling allowing same sex couples to legally get married in the state of Massachusetts. These are only a few of the many accomplishments Lambda Legal has made for the gay community. For more information, please visit their website, www.lambdalegal.org.
About Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC):
Gay Men’s Health Crisis is a not for profit, volunteer-supported and community-based organization committed to national leadership in the fight against AIDS. Their mission is to reduce the spread of HIV disease, help people with HIV maintain and improve their health and independence, and keep the prevention, treatment and cure of HIV an urgent national and local priority. In fulfilling this mission, they remain true to their heritage by fighting homophobia and affirming the individual dignity of all gay men and lesbians. For more information, please visit their website, www.gmhc.org.
About Point Foundation:
Point Foundation (Point) is the nation’s largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students of merit. Point provides financial support, leadership training, mentoring and hope to LGBT individuals who are marginalized because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Point provides its scholars with the financial ability to attend the nation’s foremost higher educational institutions and its donors and mentors with the rare satisfaction of directly investing their resources and time in future generations of leaders. www.pointfoundation.org
For press inquiries or further information, contact:
Terrence Meck
The Palette Fund
(646) 861-3292
www.ThePaletteFund.org
Jonathan Saw
Jonathan Saw & Associates, LLC
917-273-6498
jonathan@jonathansaw.com
Michael Volpatt
Larkin/Volpatt PR
415 994 8864
michael@larkinvolpatt.com