Bea Arthur LGBT homeless shelter to open in 2017
A homeless shelter in late actress Bea Arthur's name is set to open for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) youths in New York next year (17).
The Golden Girls actress had been a longtime advocate for the gay community, and left behind $300,000 to the Ali Forney Center, an organization dedicated to helping homeless LGBT youths live independently, when she died in 2009.
Bosses at the non-profit decided to take her donation and use it to help build The Bea Arthur Residence, an 18-bed shelter in Manhattan providing on-site counseling and case management to its residents.
The organization had been struggling to stay open prior to Arthur's death, causing the actress to dedicate her time and money to help keep the facility running.
"These kids at the Ali Forney Center are literally dumped by their families because of the fact that they are lesbian, gay or transgender - this organization really is saving lives," Arthur told Next Magazine before her death.
The Bea Arthur Residence is slated to open in early 2017.
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