A Division of Cornerstone Family Healthcare
Yesterday, ARCS was informed by the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute that Paul Moccio, CHAPS Prevention Specialist, will receive the NYSDOH AIDS Institute’s Commissioner’s Award for his efforts in HIV/AIDS prevention and education among youth. Paul will receive this award on November 30, 2011 in Albany, NY. We are very proud of Paul’s work over the past few years, and feel this award is very deserved. Congratulations, Paul!
For more about the CHAPS program, read this.
November 1 – CAMBRIDGE, MA: A new web-based community report from Online Buddies, Inc., parent company of Manhunt™ and DList™, celebrates the diversity of gay and bisexual men’s sexual behaviors. This first of its kind website provides scientific data in an entirely virtual manner.
The community report, based on a recently published study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine which analyzed responses from nearly 25,000 users of Manhunt™ and DList™, is in the form of an interactive website where visitors can learn more about the study results in a user-friendly and contemporary manner. “As the only online company that has a dedicated Research Institute which promotes an annual sex study with our members, we felt it important to translate conventional academic data into an easily digestible format for our members.” says David S. Novak, Managing Director of the OLB Research Institute and Senior Health Strategist, at Online Buddies, Inc.
“While many people are familiar with our family of brands, they often overlook the work that we are engaged in related to health and research. Through the use of platforms such as www.manhuntcares.com and collaborations with leading sexual health experts, we strive to give back to the community by promoting scientific research that is both sex positive and innovative,” says Todd Sowers, Chief Marketing Officer of Online Buddies, Inc.
According to the OLB Research Institute, to date, Manhunt™ and DList™ members have participated in over 100 studies worldwide, with this year’s national sex study being the largest in the United States. The study itself, which focused on men’s most recent sexual event, found the sexual repertoires of participants to be varied, suggesting the need to rethink some common misconceptions about the sexual behaviors of gay and bisexual men.
“As highlighted in the community report, the sexual experiences that men are having are not all homogenous. For example, less than 40% of men engaged in anal intercourse during their last sexual event, challenging the notion that ‘gay sex always = anal sex.’ By providing this information to our members, we hope to normalize their sexual behaviors and ultimately reduce existing stereotypes about gay and bisexual men,” says Novak.
The community report examines in detail a variety of sexual behavior topics from the larger study and can be found in it’s entirety at www.mensnationalsexstudy.com.
Via the LOFT:
Westchester County has funded The LOFT’s Helpline since the early 1990s, and has been one of the first counties in the entire nation to offer acknowledgment much less resources to the LGBT community through The LOFT’s Helpline.
However, this all unexpectedly changed yesterday when, without advance notice, The LOFT received notification from the Westchester County Department of Social Services that the grant was immediateley terminated due to county budget cuts. Although the $22,000 annual grant is small in comparison to the rest of the county’s budget, to The LOFT it is much, and what is done with it helps a community that now more than ever needs these services. With little movement on equality for the LGBT community in many areas, and with LGBT youth bullied to the point of suicide, now is not the time to terminate funding for The LOFT Helpline.
What You Can Do:
If you’re a Westchester resident, please contact your County Legislator, and ask them to restore The LOFT’s Helpine Funding. Although it was not the County Legislature that caused the cut, they are now in possession of the County Budget, and may have the power to restore it. This grant is vitally important to The LOFT and its ability to provide the Helpline services our community has needed.
Click Here for a list of contact information of Westchester County Legislators.
Click Here for text to use if you’re going to email your County Legislator.
The LOFT’s Helpline has been an asset to the LGBT community for over thirty years. Last year, The Helpline received 3,764 contacts, ranging from crisis calls from LGBT youth, to parents whose children have just come out to them, from LGBT seniors looking for doctors who might be gay-friendly, to those looking for information on HIV/AIDS.
The ARCS team carries our banner through New Paltz at the 2009 Pride March.
LATEST NEWS: View a photo slide show from the New Paltz Pride March and Festival!
June is National LGBTQ Pride Month, and several Hudson Valley communities are carrying on their annual Pride marches and festivals. ARCS participates in these celebrations of diversity and dignity to honor our roots as a spin-off of The LOFT LGBT Community Center, and because of the ongoing HIV/AIDS crisis among men who have sex with men (MSMs).
New studies show that MSMs are newly infected with HIV at a rate 44 times higher than other men…and 40 times higher than women. ARCS has responded to these statistics by successfully creating a new program to educate young MSMs of color. We’re especially proud to be offering enhanced HIV prevention services to guys ages 16 through 24 in Westchester as of June 1st – and we are working hard to secure additional funding to expand the program to the entire Hudson Valley.
If you’re out and about at any of the upcoming LGBTQ Pride events, please stop by and say hi!
This June, you’ll find ARCS’ big red tent at the New Paltz Pride March and Festival on Sunday, June 6th and at Gay Pride Rockland in Nyack on Sunday, June 13th. Please stop by to say hello, pick up some free brochures and condoms, and fill out health surveys that help us plot the course of future programs. There are tons of Pride activities all week long at the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center, (the hosts of New Paltz Pride) so be sure to check them out.
ARCS will also be tabling at the Westchester County LGBT Town Hall meeting on Wednesday, June 9th at the County Center in White Plains from 6:30 to 8:30.
And don’t forget the Valley’s newest Pride event, Hudson Pride! This charming, quirky town has organized its first LGBT Pride march and festival on Sunday, June 20th. The fun kicks off with a sunset cruise on Saturday, June 19th from 7 to 9:30 pm.
For all the latest Pride happenings, be sure to check out our friends at BigGayHudsonValley.com, and for national events visit TheBody.com’s new Pride section.
The Westchester Pride Coalition has announced that Yvette Christofilis, former head of the Westchester County Office of LGBT Affairs, will be honored at a special event on Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at 6:00 pm in White Plains. Christofilis’ office, along with several other minority services, was eliminated from the Westchester County government as of January 31, 2010.
The Westchester Pride Coalition, a group of non-profits serving the LGBT community, grew out of a meeting convened by the former LGBT Liaison. With her nurturing and support, the WPC was able to hold Westchester’s first ever LGBT Pride event last September at Rye Playland, which attracted over 400 participants. “It was only natural for us to honor Yvette Christofilis,” said David Juhren, Executive Director of the LOFT LGBT Community Center in White Plains. “She in effect launched the Coalition, which carries on her work without direct county government ties.” An LGBT Advisory Board will continue to provide vital feedback and policy advice to the county legislature.
The WPC invites the community to join them in thanking Yvette Christofilis for her two years of service to Westchester’s LGBT community at a cocktail reception on Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at Cabo in downtown White Plains from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. This fundraising reception, playfully called “The Big Yvent” in Christofilis’ honor, will also raise much-needed funds for this year’s Westchester Pride at Playland.
Tickets are $20.00 and can be purchased in advance at www.westchesterpride.org/bigyvent.html or at the door. There will be complimentary appetizers and a cash bar. Cabo is located at 107 Mamaroneck Avenue in downtown White Plains. There is plenty of municipal parking within the immediate area, including the parking lot directly behind Cabo. Supporters can also purchase a congratulatory listing in the program to thank Christofilis for her work and legacy.
The second annual Westchester Pride at Playland 2010 is set for Saturday, September 11, 2010 with a rain date of Sunday, September 12. The WPC is already planning festivities and aims to increase the event’s attendance and importance.
Members of the Westchester Pride Coalition include AIDS-Related Community Services, Center Lane, the Gateway Program at Westchester Medical Center, GLSEN Hudson Valley, Lambda Peer Support Services, The LOFT LGBT Community Services Center, NYTRO, PFLAG Westchester, Planned Parenthood, Rainbow Alliance of Westchester, Straight Spouse Network, Victims Assistance Services, and Westchester Lesbian Connection. For more information visit www.westchesterpride.org.
Mark your calendars for the 2010 Hearts for ARCS Valentine’s Charity Ball, scheduled for Saturday, February 13, 2010 from 7 pm to midnight at the C.V. Rich Mansion in White Plains, NY. This elegant affair features a cocktail hour with delicious hors d’oeuvre by Caperberry Events, open bar all evening, a silent auction, three-course gourmet dinner, dance music provided by DanceTime Entertainment, and the presentation of our annual “Hearts for ARCS” Awards.
This year’s honorees are New York State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Bedford Hills businesswoman Marcy Furman. Both are being honored for their tireless efforts on behalf of Westchester County’s HIV/AIDS and LGBT communities.
Tickets are $150 per person.
Special “Early Bird” Rate! Reserve a table of 10 before January 29, 2010 and receive $25 off each ticket! That’s just $1,250 for a table of ten, so gather your friends, family or colleagues to take advantage of this special price.
Guests can also enjoy a special discounted hotel package at Hyatt Summerfield Suites in White Plains. For just $119 for the night, you can turn the Valentine’s Charity Ball into a special sweethearts’ weekend at this all-suite hotel located minutes away from the C.V. Rich Mansion. Free shuttle to and from the Ball as well as a free breakfast buffet and a special gift!
For more information, call Jana at (914) 785-8283 to request your invitation, or visit our Contact page. More details to come!
Westchester’s first LGBTQ Pride event is here…FINALLY!
Westchester County didn’t have a pride festival…that is until NOW! More to the point, we’re making up for lost time with an event like none other in our area!
Join ARCS, the rest of the Westchester Pride Coalition and hundreds of LGBTQ Westchester residents for a day of WESTCHESTER PRIDE at PLAYLAND, when your LGBT family, friends, allies, and kids of all ages come to celebrate. Better yet, your discounted admission gets you onto all the rides, all day, and all you want.
WEAR RED! We’re encouraging all attendees to wear something red so that we stand out loud and proud!
Your first stop will be the Pride Pavilion right inside Playland, where you can peruse the vendors selling LGBT paraphernalia, or take in some light entertainment, or meet and greet your friends and make new ones. Come and visit the LGBT organizations and groups that make up the Westchester Pride Coalition, the guys and gals who are making it all possible!
Then it’s time to hit those rides! A variety of mealtime and ride Meet-Ups are scheduled throughout the day, where we’ll set a time and ride for various components of our LGBT community, so you can meet new friends, just like you! Don’t forget, Playland has dozens of rides for smaller kids, so you gay moms and dads out there be sure to bring your children.
We’ll have entertainment throughout the day, including a special contest for the area’s greatest musical acts! Order your tickets now by visiting WestchesterPride.org. We’ll see you there!
The Westchester Pride Coalition is planning the first annual Westchester Pride at Playland! It’ll be a fun-filled, family-friendly day with planned entertainment, vendors, rides, and more! We’ll have something for everyone and all ages! On Saturday, September 12, 2009 from 12 noon to 9:00 p.m., members of Westchester’s LGBTQ community and their supporters will gather at Rye Playland for an entire day of fun with the “family.”
Tickets will be sold in advance for $20, which gives you access to all of Playland’s rides, games and activities for a discount, plus entrance to our Pride Pavilion. Our website, www.WestchesterPride.org has an online ticket purchase option. You can also buy tickets in person (payable in cash or check) from Westchester Pride Coalition members. ARCS is a member, so you can contact J. Dewey or Paul Moccio for tickets. You can also visit reps at the LOFT, GLSEN, PFLAG, LPSS, the Straight Spouse Network and others.
We don’t want you to miss any news of what’s being planned, so join our growing email list so we can keep you posted on all the latest Westchester Pride at Playland news and events. The event is also posted on Facebook and Twitter, so link up to stay informed! More details on specific entertainment options will be coming soon!
Westchester Pride Coalition on Facebook