NEW YORK, June 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Kiehl’s Since 1851 is expanding upon its longstanding mission to support the LGBTQIA2+ community through its new “Love Letters” Pride campaign. The campaign highlights the brand’s Open Doors platform – a year-round commitment to supporting LGBTQIA2+ homeless youth.
Courtesy of Kiehl’s
To further support the mission, Kiehl’s is proud to continue its philanthropic partnership for the 2nd year in a row with the Ali Forney Center, a non-profit that provides LGBTQIA2+ youth with warm, supportive environments to escape the streets and prepare them for independent living. Their services include a 24/7 drop-in center, transitional housing, job readiness training, and health resources.
In 2025, Kiehl’s has committed to donating $150,000* to the Ali Forney Center to help provide safe, temporary housing as well as life-saving and developmental services to over 2200 LGBTQIA2+ homeless youth.
Kiehl’s recognizes that physical spaces are not always enough. To further promote the safety and wellbeing of LGBTQIA2+ youth, Kiehl’s is launching the “Love Letters” campaign to provide a safe emotional space for the community. Through this campaign, the brand is going beyond offering safe physical spaces and is providing its community with safe emotional spaces too. Kiehl’s has joined forces with LGBTQIA2+ creators, such as Alyssa Edwards from RuPaul’s Drag Race, community members, and local non-profit partners to share heartfelt letters of appreciation to those who gave them a safe space to be their authentic selves. As Kiehl’s comes together to celebrate the LGBTQIA2+ community this Pride, they want to help others share their story, loud and proud. They’re inviting all to take pen to paper to honor the safe spaces they’ve discovered or created for themselves and others, along their journey.
“For over 170 years, Kiehl’s has been a leading brand in inclusivity and care no matter the form,” said John Reed, General Manager of Kiehl’s Since 1851. “Our continued partnership with the Ali Forney Center reflects our enduring commitment to creating safe, supportive spaces for LGBTQIA2+ youth and uplifting the communities that have always been at the heart of our brand.”
In addition to the partnership and campaign, Kiehl’s is continuing their work via the Open Doors platform, launched in select countries in 2024, in which the brand partners with local non-profit organizations worldwide to provide those in need with necessities to live and resources to thrive.
Kiehl’s has a rich history of advocacy supporting the LGBTQIA2+ community dating back to the late 1980s. From supporting various HIV/Aids organizations to launching philanthropic initiatives and sponsoring NYC Pride – efforts that have collectively culminated in $1.4+ million donated to LGBTQIA2+ causes since 2015.
A few key findings demonstrate the urgency of Ali Forney Center’s mission and the importance of our partnership to raise awareness of these life-saving services:
- 40% of homeless youth in New York City are LGBTQIA2+
- 80% of the youth the Ali Forney Center serve are kicked out of their homes and families due to their LGBTQIA2+ identity
- 85% of youth in the Ali Forney Center’s program are enrolled in mental health counseling services, STD education prevention, testing and treatment
- 80% of youth graduate the Ali Forney Center into independent living compared to the national average of 25%
“We are immensely grateful and humble to Kiehl’s for their unwavering partnership and generous support of the Ali Forney Center. As a brand deeply committed to community impact, Kiehl’s has played a vital role in helping us provide life-saving services to LGBTQIA2+ homeless youth,” said Alex Roque, President and Executive Director of the Ali Forney Center. “Their dedication goes beyond philanthropy; they have stood beside us as true allies in our mission to protect and empower some of the most vulnerable members of our community. Together, we are creating a more compassionate world where all young people are given the opportunity to thrive and their courage and beauty the opportunity to shine.”
To learn more about Kiehl’s Open Doors platform, Ali Forney Center and the Pride “Love Letters” campaign, visit Live Your Pride With Kiehl’s – Healthy Skin for All – Kiehl’s.
About Kiehl’s Open Doors
Kiehl’s Since 1851 proudly launches a new global philanthropic initiative, Kiehl’s Open Doors, providing safe, temporary housing, as well as life tools and developmental resources to LGBTQIA2+ homeless youth.
About Kiehl’s Since 1851
Kiehl’s was founded as an old-world apothecary in New York’s East Village neighborhood. Kiehl’s unique, extensive background represents a blend of cosmetic, pharmaceutical, herbal and medicinal knowledge developed and passed on through the generations. Over the years, longtime customer favorite formulations such as Ultra Facial Cream, Micro Dose Anti-Aging Retinol, Avocado Eye Cream, Ultra Facial Cleanser, Creme de Corps, and new formulas such as Better ScreenTM UV Serum SPF 50+, Ultra Body Mega Moisture Squalene Cream, and Ultra Facial Barrier-Hydrating Cleanser have been created with uniquely efficacious, natural ingredients and the education and knowledge culled from generations of research and requests from our customers.
About The Ali Forney Center
The Ali Forney Center (AFC) is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive organization dedicated to protecting LGBTQ +youth from the harms of homelessness. Each year AFC sees more than 2,200 young people who are kicked out of their homes due to homophobia and transphobia and offers homeless LGBTQ+ youth a 24-hour Drop In Hub located in midtown Manhattan and 17 scatter-site housing units in four of the five NYC Boroughs. Ninety percent of the young people we see state religious beliefs as the leading cause of their homelessness, a staggering 95 percent of our clients are individuals of color largely from the Black and Latino communities. Nearly half of these young people come to NYC from across the country, mainly the south, fleeing homophobic and transphobic homes. Lastly, as the largest and longest running agency doing this work, we support smaller organizations and groups of activists that aim to support similar populations. Through capacity building and conferences, we expand our reach across the United States and throughout the world. In our most recent conference in March 2023, we hosted 55 people from 24 different organizations from across the country and internationally.
*Kiehl’s Since 1851 supports Ali Forney Center in their mission to protect homeless Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning youth from the harms of homelessness and empower them with the tools needed to be independent with a financial contribution of $150,000.00 in 2025. Kiehl’s financial support of the Ali Forney Center is not influenced by the purchase of any Kiehl’s product and Ali Forney Center does not endorse any Kiehl’s product. For more information please visit: https://www.aliforneycenter.org.
For press inquiries, please contact:
Rachel Weinstock
Senior Manager, Brand Engagement, Kiehl’s Since 1851
[email protected]
SOURCE Kiehl’s Since 1851
