How Bea Arthur Became a Champion for Homeless LGBT Youth

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carl-siciliano/how-bea-arthur-became-a-c_b_7837174.html?utm_hp_ref=transgender

Huffington Post-The Blog
Carl Siciliano
Executive Director, Ali Forney Center
Posted: 07/21/2015 5:27 pm EDT Updated: 07/21/2015 5:59 pm ED

It seemed like a miracle to me when Bea Arthur became dedicated to the Ali Forney Center.

It was 2005, 3 years after we first began offering shelter to homeless LGBT youths. We were a small organization, tiny in comparison to so many of the huge, well-established charities in NYC. But we were addressing a terrible problem, that of LGBT teens being thrown to the streets in enormous numbers by unaccepting parents. At the time we only had 12 shelter beds, and over 100 youths waiting out in the streets to get into those beds, which they saw as precious, for with us they wouldn't face the homophobic harassment they often endured elsewhere.
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I was surprised reading this post by the director of the Ali Fournay Center, I never knew this about Ms. Arthur, but as WGN news says "This is someone you should know." May she inspire us to care for all our LGBTQ brothers and sisters.

A great story. I believe that Bea's heart was there at Ali Forney Center. She really put herself out despite her frailties to show her support.