NEW YORK — Jeffrey Fashion Cares is one of the leading fashion lifestyle charity events in New York City. Since 2002, the event has raised more than $9 million for charities supporting gender and sexual minority rights, HIV prevention and research and youth education. This spring, the fifteenth annual event took place at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.
What Happens at the Event?
The attendees participate in a cocktail party, a silent auction and a live auction, then watch a men’s fashion show equipped with plenty of top models. The event is always hosted by a celebrity, who this year was human rights activist Judith Light, winner of Emmy and Tony Awards.
At this event, the Jeffrey Fashion Cares charity donations reached nearly $800,000. This money is all being donated to the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF), Lambda Legal and the Hetrick-Martin Institute.
The Crucial Work of These Organizations
The Elton John AIDS Foundation has helped more than 250,000 children in Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Lesotho and Zambia to access HIV services. In fact, the Elton John AIDS Foundation is the seventh largest funder of HIV/AIDS programs in the world. Its goal is to bring about an AIDS-free world by 2030. It aims to achieve these three specific goals:
- No more discrimination
- No more HIV infections
- No more AIDS deaths
Lambda Legal is a nonprofit that works with those living with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work. In 2016, it raised roughly $23 million in total public support and revenue and this number continues to rise each year.
The Hetrick-Martin Institute seeks to create a healthy environment for youth aged 13-24. It annually serves more than 11,000 meals, interacts with more than 10,000 homeless youth, trains more than 1,500 individuals for advocacy and capacity building and partners with more than 50 other organizations. All of its services are free of charge year-round.
Who Attended the Jeffrey Fashion Cares Event?
- Diane von Furstenburg (American-Belgian fashion designer)
- Judith Light (American Actress)
- Serayah (American Actress)
- J. Alexander (American Television Personality)
- Sean O’ Pry (American Model)
- Antoni Porowski (Canadian Chef)
- Tan France (Television Actor)
- Pete Nordstrom (EVP of Nordstrom)
- Brandon Maxwell (American Fashion Designer, Director, Photographer and Stylist)
- Carson Kressley (American Television Personality)
- Lynn Bann (Designer)
- Eva Fehren (Designer and Artist)
- Benj Pasek (Songwriter)
The Jeffrey Fashion Cares charity donations are a reminder that a huge range of people and organizations are involved in advocating for poverty alleviation. Whether one is rich or poor, there is a way to reach out and help those in need get on the right track. This could be anything from informing others of issues to fundraising to hosting an event such as Jeffrey Fashion Cares and history will remember those who have stepped up to make a difference in this world.
– Raven Patzke
Photo: Jeffrey Fashion Cares / Andrew Rannells