'Stay Warm, Stay Safe' Clothing Event Gives Back To LGBTQIA+ Community
NEW YORK CITY — Nearly 100 people donated gently used clothing to a community clothing closet as part of an LGBTQIA+ organization’s annual winter clothing drive this December.
The NEW Pride Agenda (NPA) Winter Clothing Drive and its community clothing closet aim to provide essential items to LGBTQIA+ individuals facing economic hardship and social inequities, officials told Patch.
The “Stay Warm, Stay Safe” Winter Open Closet event was supported by Amida Care, New York’s largest Medicaid Special Needs Health Plan.
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Amaida Care contributed to NPA’s “Share the Warmth” pop-up event at the NPA Empowerment Center
Doug Wirth, President and CEO of Amida Care, told Patch that these events are “critical to supporting the most vulnerable members of LGBTQIA+ communities.”
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“We know that standing together with organizations like the NEW Pride Agenda is essential to advancing equity, fostering resilience, and helping individuals live their authentic lives. We are proud to contribute to this important effort,” Wirth added.
Amida Care employees donated fall and winter jackets, sweaters, pants, jeans and toiletries to the winter closet.
Pride at Google – Google’s LGBTQ Employee Resource Group, co-led by Beka Gulotta, an NPA Board member, also contributed to the event.
Group members donate items to the clothing drive and have raised funds to aid in other initiatives and programs NEW Pride Agenda offers, Gulotta told Patch.
“We are honored to stand alongside Amida Care and the NEW Pride Agenda in making an impact in our community,” she said.
Jocelyn Bula, Program Coordinator at NEW Pride Agenda, told Patch the event was focused on reaching new members in the community and making sure individuals had essential winter items during the ongoing colder months.
“The NPA does a lot of community outreach and programs — for this event, we wanted to make sure that anyone that is in need has warmer clothes for this time of year,” Bula said.
Kei Williams, Interim Executive Director of NEW Pride Agenda, said this event and partnership “demonstrates what is possible when nonprofits and community-oriented organizations work together to create real change.”
“We are grateful for Amida Care’s ongoing support and their dedication to empowering our communities.”
The NPA Empowerment Center and Community Clothing Closet is open Tuesday through Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m.
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