GMHC Honors Larry Kramer At Annual Spring Gala

Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) will host its annual Spring Gala on Monday, March 23 at Cipriani 42nd Street and plans to honor Larry Kramer, one of the organization's original six founders and award-winning writer of the play and HBO's Emmy-winning film adaptation of "The Normal Heart."

Given the renewed energy in New York towards ending the epidemic by 2020 and the fact that GMHC is preparing to recognize the 30th Annual AIDS Walk New York in May 2015, honoring Kramer represents a significant moment for the world's first AIDS service organization. Jonathan Groff, actor in HBO's film adaptation of "The Normal Heart" and the series "Looking" will be the guest host.

In addition to honoring Kramer, the organization will honor the longstanding corporate supporter, Delta Air Lines and a former Chairman of GMHC's Board of Director's, Myron Sulzberger ("Mickey") Rolfe, who led the organization through its most recent leadership transition and selection of GMHC's new CEO, Kelsey Louie.

"There would be no GMHC, without Larry Kramer," said Roberta ("Robbie") Kaplan, co-chair of GMHC's Board of Directors and winner of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case United States v. Windsor. "The victory we have seen in this country for LGBT equality, including marriage equality, is in large part because of Larry Kramer and the other AIDS activists who built the foundation for our ability to come together as a community to fight to be treated with the same dignity as everyone else."

The evening will raise critical funds for GMHC to help serve the over 9,000 clients each year. One auction item includes a unique and historic experience. Robbie Kaplan will attend with two people to listen to the oral arguments in the United State Supreme Court case that will decide if marriage equality should be legal throughout the United States in April 2015. The auction item will include a post-argument lunch and "de-briefing" with Robbie Kaplan.

GMHC will also auction off two copies of the historic document that was the winning brief in United States v. Windsor signed by both Robbie and Eddie Windsor herself.

Founded in 1982 by Nathan Fain, Larry Kramer, Larry Mass, Paul Popham, Paul Rappoport and Edmund White, GMHC is the world's first provider of HIV/AIDS prevention, care and advocacy. In addition to the wide array of programs that provide support to thousands of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, GMHC also links people to medical treatment and care, especially those who are newly diagnosed with HIV.

The evening will bring together hundreds of New York's most influential AIDS activists, business-leaders, philanthropists and theatre performers, and is a critical fundraiser for the organization. Tickets go on sale today at noon and can be purchased on gmhc.org. Also on the website, there is information for those interested in sponsoring the event or purchasing an advertisement/thank you to Larry Kramer in the journal that will be distributed on the night of the event.

For more information, visit www.gmhc.org.