Jeffrey Fashion Cares throw their annual fundraiser with a star-studded charity bash

Jeffrey Fashion Cares New York throws a wonderful fundraising bash every year, and has raised over $9 million for charity organizations supporting LGBT civil rights, HIV prevention & research, and education for LGBT youth ever since 2002.

Jeffery Fashion Cares was established in 2002 by fashion and retail pioneer Jeffrey Kalinsky, and takes place annually during springtime and kicks off the LGBT fundraising season. This year's event was held on Wednesday, April 11 at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City.

The event includes a cocktail reception with a luxury silent auction, an exciting live auction as well as a men’s fashion show featuring 40+ of the industry’s top models. After a cocktail hour, silent auction and subsequent live auction, a speedo-heavy fashion show with hunky male models close the evening. It’s the highlight for most of the guests.

Jeffrey Fashion Cares New York always features a celebrity co-host. In past years, JFC New York has been co-hosted by Andrew Rannells, Zachary Quinto, Emmy Rossum, and Anna Chlumsky. Tony- and Emmy Award-winning actress and human rights activist Judith Light (“Transparent”) served as the evening’s host. 

The fundraiser also recognizes one individual with the Jeffrey Fashion Cares Community Leadership Award. Past honorees have included Peter Staley, Peter Wilson, Terrence Meck of The Palette Fund, and Jerry Mitchell. 

The annual charity event raises funds for a triumvirate of worthy causes, all LGBTQ oriented: the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the Hetrick-Martin Institute, and Lambda Legal. This year, it raised over $800,000 (in part thanks to a $100,000 donation for chief sponsor Nordstrom) for these organizations.

Queer Eye's Carson Kressley adds "It’s like Christmas morning for the gays. It’s hot models in very, very small bathing suits. It’s a really fun night but it’s also a really important night. Judith Light is the host who is just divine and has always supported our community. And what I find interesting about this event is its heritage."

"Basically, in response to the AIDS epidemic, the fashion community decided to get together and do what we can to fight HIV and AIDS. And while that’s of course still a problem and still a beneficiary of Jeffrey Fashion Cares, we’ve widened our reach to all these other fabulous causes that affect our community and ours peers."