Terry D. Loftis, left, and Regina Lyn Pierce served as cochairs for Black Tie Dinner in 2022. Moving into 2023,
Pierce moves up to the senior cochair position, and Dustin Vyers joins her as junior cochair.
(Photo by Daniel Motta)

Black Tie distributes record-breaking $1.5 million to beneficiaries

From Staff Reports

Officials with Black Tie Dinner this week announced that the 2022 event, held in September at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel, raised a record-breaking $1.5 million for its 19 beneficiaries. Funds were distributed Thursday night, Nov. 10, at the 2022 Wrap Party, hosted by presenting sponsor PNC Bank and distribution event underwriter Lexus at Gilley’s South Side Music Hall.

“The Dallas LGBTQ community, our sponsors, our amazing beneficiaries, ally partnerships and our board of directors have again delivered a record breaking distribution,” said 2022 senior Co-Chair Terry D. Loftis, who shared 2022 cochair duties with Regina Lyn Pierce. “Every corner of our community has been shaken these last few years, and our work towards equality, inclusion and access is more critical now than ever before in recent memory.

“It is our responsibility to ensure that we continually uplift the diverse organizations supported by Black Tie Dinner and the people these amazing organizations serve,” Loftis continued. “Our sincere thanks to our presenting sponsor, PNC Bank, for truly partnering with Black Tie in fulfilling our mission.”

Pierce will move into the senior cochair spot for the 2023 Dinner, and Dustin Vyers will step into the junior cochair position, it was announced Thursday.

“Black Tie Dinner is one the most important fundraising events in North Texas and across the United States for the LGBTQ community,” said Brendan McGuire, PNC regional president for North Texas. “As presenting sponsor, PNC Bank is proud to be among the groundswell of volunteers, supporters, funders and leaders in North Texas who ardently support this dinner and its beneficiaries.”

This year’s record fundraising pushed Black Tie Dinner’s total distribution since its inception to more than $28 million in funds distributed to the LGBTQ community. The 2022 Black Tie Dinner local beneficiaries received the following:
• AIDS Services of Dallas: $47,454
• Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star: $53,407
• Black Trans Advocacy Coalition: $35,054
• Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ: $50,760
• Celebration Community Church: $59,867
• CitySquare: $25,962
• Coalition for Aging LGBT: $50,010
• Dallas Hope Charities: $48,874
• Equality Texas Foundation: $52,761
• HELP Center for LGBT Health & Wellness: $59,612
• Legacy Counseling Center: $52,862
• Northaven United Methodist Church: $75,039
• Pegasus Slowpitch Softball Association: $23,687
• Planned Parenthood of Greater North Texas: $53,121
• Resource Center: $55,291
• Synergy Wesley Foundation: $23,854
• Turtle Creek Chorale: $52,197
• Uptown Players: $54,138

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, Black Tie’s national beneficiary, received $626,050.

“With the rights of women, transgender people and people of color threatened in the United States, Black Tie Dinner remains steadfast in its commitment to uplift and support the LGBTQ community,” officials said in a press release Thursday. “Thanks to our generous sponsors, the funds raised instantly go to work preserving equality and funding life-changing programs and services for thousands of the most vulnerable in North Texas.”

The press release notes: “Black Tie Dinner is a non-profit organization that raises funds for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer-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 more than $28 million dollars to a wide variety of organizations serving the needs of the LGBTQ community. And the event has headlined local and national celebrities and leaders such as President Biden, Billy Porter, Beto O’Rourke, Matt Bomer, 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, Niecy Nash, Sharon Stone, Judy Shepard, Alan Cumming, 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.

“PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. █

“For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.”