(photo courtesy of the Los Angeles LGBT Center)

To help meet the growing demand for clothing for homeless LGBT youth served by the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the center’s Young Professionals Council (YPC) will host its 8th annual “Threads of Change” clothing drive party on Sunday, Dec. 7 from noon to 4 p.m. at The Horn in West Hollywood.

Admission to the clothing drive party is free, and guests who donate a bag of gently used clothing will receive a complimentary mimosa. The donations will help stock the closet at the center’s Youth Center on Highland Avenue in Hollywood, where staff distribute an average of 1,200 clothing items each month to homeless LGBT youth.

“It’s time to clear out your closets for a worthy cause. On any given night, there are 6,500 homeless youth under the age of 24 on the streets of Los Angles, and 40 percent of them are LGBT,” YPC chair Jorge Mellado said. “Many of them have nowhere to turn but the center.”

The apparel items in greatest demand for men and women are jeans; casual clothes (of all adult sizes); professional attire for job interviews’ winter coats; sweaters and hooded sweatshirts; shoes (must be in excellent condition); and new socks, underwear and bras.

Participants are encouraged to post photographs of their fashionable donations on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to @LALGBTCENTER, with the hashtag #YPCThreads.

People who are unable to attend the clothing drive and party can drop off donations daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Youth Center, 1220 N. Highland Ave. The center offers young people three meals a day, showers, laundry facilities and more. The youth can prepare for GED exams, stay overnight and receive support through the Youth Employment Program, which helps job seekers develop their skills and find employment. The Youth Center closet also provides clothing for youth in the center’s 24-bed Transitional Living Program.

The Horn is located at 8933 Santa Monica Blvd. For information, visit www.lalgbtcenter.org/threads.