On October 16th, the Taglyan Cultural Complex hosted “Ending Youth Homelessness: A Benefit For My Friend’s Place” to raise money for and bring social awareness to the issue of youth homelessness in Los Angeles. The benefit marked the latest in Taglyan Complex’s continued effort to make a positive impact in the community through donations and involvement with numerous local and national organizations; past charitable events include benefits for the Friends of Hollywood Central Park, the Los Angeles League of Women Voters, Art Hearts Fashion in association with the AIDS Healthcare Federations, the Survivors Fashion Show (which funds cancer research), the Armenian Relief Society, Nora Perez vs ALS, Women Against Gun Violence, and the Han-Schneider international Children’s Foundation, among others.
About My Friend’s Place
My Friend’s Place, a Los Angeles-based non-profit that “assists and inspires homeless youth to build self-sufficient lives” through meal distribution services and resource-center counseling – last year, My Friend’s Place gave out over 30,000 meals to homeless youth in the L.A. area – raised funds at the “Ending Youth Homelessness” benefit through a silent and live auction. Pieces up for bid at the auction, which featured Laura and Don Dotson from A&E’s hit show Storage Wars as celebrity auctioneers, included memorabilia, as well as an exclusive painting by artist Bumblebeelovesyou fittingly entitled “My Friend’s Place.” The painting, which depicts Bumblebeelovesyou’s now-iconic mural of two children using the city’s street as their playground, was valued at $7,000.
In addition to raising money and awareness through the action, My Friend’s Place honored several distinguished organizations and guests, including Lionsgate as Corporate Partner of the Year, The Harold Einstein Foundation as Foundation of the Year, The Ladies Who Make Lunch as Volunteers of the Year, and Sheryl Recinos as Alumna of the Year. The evening’s events culminated in a mesmerizing performance by Cirque Du Soleil’s Cirque Du Monde and an uproarious improvisational puppet show by The Jim Henson Company’s Puppet Up!
