PRESS CONTACT: John McGill PR [email protected]

Black Tie Dinner Distributes a Record $1.440 Million to Beneficiaries Organization Announces Newly Elected Board Members

December 9, 2019 () – Black Tie Dinner - the nation’s largest LGBTQ fundraising dinner of its kind - distributed a record $1,440,000 to its 17 beneficiaries during its 2019 Wrap Party & Beneficiary Distribution event at Gilley’s South Side Music Hall. The distribution amounts were announced by Black Tie Dinner Board members to community leaders of the 16 North LGBTQ-supportive Beneficiaries and Black Tie Dinner’s National Beneficiary, the Foundation. “We are excited to be announcing a record-breaking distribution this year. It is because of the dedication of our Board, the support of our sponsors, and the commitment of our table captains and volunteers that we are achieving this milestone. But we know it is really the hard work and services provided to our community by our beneficiaries that make all of the effort worth it. This is truly a celebration of them”, says Nathan Robbins, Black Tie Dinner Co-Chair. This year’s record fundraising pushed Black Tie Dinner’s total distribution since its inception to over $25M in funds distributed to the LGBTQ community.

The 2019 Black Tie Dinner distributed the following funds to this year’s beneficiaries:

• AIDS Outreach Center $38,882.00 • AIDS Services of Dallas $46,551.00 • Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star. $65,487.00 • Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ. $57,482.00 • Celebration Community Church $52,426.00 • Foundation $47,450.00 • Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund $50,567.00 • Legacy Counseling Center $50,126.00 • Northaven United Methodist Church $61,408.00 • Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas $44,414.00 • Promise House $40,007.00

Cont- • Rainbow Roundup $62,421.00 • Resource Center $62,761.00 • Trans Kids and Families of Texas $53,219.00 BLACK TIE DIN N E R , I N C .

3824 CEDAR SPRINGS, #335 DALLAS, TEXAS 75219 WWW.BLACKT IE.ORG

• $47,801.00 • Uptown Players $49,001.00 • The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (National Beneficiary) $610,000.00

In addition, Black Tie Dinner also announced that once again BBVA will be returning as the Presenting Sponsor for the 2020 Dinner. “BBVA has become a huge part of our Black Tie Dinner family”, stated Jeremy Hawpe, Black Tie Dinner Co-Chair. “BBVA’s commitment to Black Tie Dinner as our presenting sponsor, makes a night like tonight possible. We look forward to our continued partnership in making an impact on the lives of so many.”

Black Tie Dinner announced October 3, 2020 as the date for their 39th Annual Dinner being hosted again at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel. They also announced the newly elected 2020 Board leadership roles and first-year members for 2020:

• Brad Pritchett (Co-Chair, 2020-2021) • Terry Loftis (Co-Chair Elect, 2020) • Tenay Barker • Denton Bricker • Deirdre Coleman • Marcus DeMello-Silva • Daniel Parker • Regina Lyn Pierce • Nicholas Rodriguez • Ryne Young

The annual Wrap Party & Beneficiary Distribution event was generously hosted by BBVA, Black Tie Dinner’s long-time Presenting Sponsor, and Lexus.

###

Cont -

About Black Tie Dinner

Black Tie Dinner is a non-profit organization that raises funds for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) supportive organizations serving North Texas through a premier event of empowerment, education and entertainment in partnership with the community. From its origins as a small fundraising dinner among friends in 1982, Black Tie Dinner has grown into the largest fundraising dinner in the nation for the LGBTQ community. Each year, Black Tie Dinner selects up to 20 non-profit organizations from North Texas as local beneficiaries of its fundraising, as well as the Human Rights Campaign Foundation as its national beneficiary. To date, Black Tie Dinner has distributed over $25 million dollars to a wide variety of organizations serving the needs of the LGBTQ community.

The event has headlined local and national celebrities and leaders such as Billy Porter, Beto O’Rourke, , Maya Angelou, Geena Davis, Lily Tomlin, Martin Sheen, Connie Britton, Kim Petras, and Dustin Lance Black. In addition to live entertainment, Black Tie Dinner honors outstanding service to the LGBTQ community with the Elizabeth Birch Equality Award, the Black Tie Dinner Media Award and the Kuchling Humanitarian Award. Recipients have included Debra Messing, Greg Louganis, Elizabeth Birch, Sharon Stone, , , Showtime Networks/Robert Greenblatt, Bishop V. Gene Robinson, Cyndi Lauper, Logo Network/Brian Graden, Chely Wright, American Airlines, Terrence McNally, Chaz Bono, JCPenney, Scouting For All founder Zach Wahl, Erich Bergen, and Jessi Cruickshank.