34th annual East End festival returns Oct. 2–12 with premieres, Screenwriters Lab, SummerDocs and outdoor… Read More →
The Breakers hosted Palm Beach’s social and philanthropic elite as the Old Bags Luncheon™ auction… Read More →
See what’s trending this week—what’s opening, what’s closing, who’s showing, who’s making sparks. Food Scene… Read More →
Pop star’s lawyers say bodycam video would be a privacy nightmare Attorneys for pop star… Read More →
From Lady Gaga to Liza Minnelli (and not on the same stage this time), March… Read More →
Snow-capped mountains, mid-century modern design, Rat Pack lore and desert sunshine — why Palm Springs… Read More →
From stand-up comedy and live music to gallery openings, author talks and Oscar-night watch parties… Read More →
Long before Instagram summers and $100,000 rentals, the couple slipped away to a modest Sagaponack… Read More →
A $32 million estate at 200 Rose Hill Road swaps cedar shingles for concrete and… Read More →
After four weeks of testimony, prosecutors say the once–celebrated luxury real-estate siblings followed the same… Read More →
Record-Breaking School’s Out: $900,000 Raised for LGBTQ+ Youth at HMI’s 25th Anniversary Benefit
View Gallery
20 Photos
Some parties are about champagne and photo ops. Others change lives. This summer, Hetrick-Martin Institute’s 2025 School’s Out Gala managed to do both by breaking its own record again, raising an impressive $900,000 for LGBTQ+ youth.
Isaac Boots, Candace Bushnell. David Benthal/BFA.com
LeAnn Bobitt, Nathan Orsman, Lydia Guterman, Amy Harclerode, Sean Bouvier, Dom DiPasquale, Tonia Steck, Otho Kerr, Benjamin Dixon, Howard Sacarob. Photo: David Benthal/BFA.com
Kelly Killoren Bensimon, Candace Bushnell, Amy Harclerode, Luann de Lesseps. David Benthal/BFA.com
HMI School's Out 2025. Photo by Andrew Werner
HMI School's Out 2025. Photo by Andrew WernerThis milestone makes this year’s 25th anniversary benefit not only the most successful in the event’s history but also one of the most important. The monies raised help direct much-needed resources toward queer and trans young people, especially youth of color, who depend on HMI for safety, support, and mental health services.
Over 600 guests gathered at the beautiful Sagaponack estate of Christi Offutt and Soraida Bedoya. Broadway star Kelsie Watts performed under Anthony Taccetta’s sparkling dinner tent. After enjoying a meal that included Petrossian caviar, STK steaks, Almond’s signature dishes, and Duryea’s lobster Cobb, the audience focused on the mission. Designer Dennis Basso, auctioneer Nick Depner, and Kelly Killoren Bensimon encouraged guests to raise their paddles, turning generosity into action. By the end of the night, the record was set.
The VIP guest list added sparkle to the spirit: Andy Cohen, Countess Luann de Lesseps, Rufus Wainwright, Candace Bushnell, Thom Filicia, Isaac Boots, Fern Mallis, Sydney Sadick, Peter Som, Darren Star.
DJ Lina Bradford kept the energy pumping, while aerialists and mirrored-disco dancers reminded everyone this was still a Hamptons party.
But amid the glamour, the stakes were clear.
“School’s Out is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when the community shows up for our youth,” said HMI CEO Amy Harclerode. “Thanks to this record-breaking generosity, more young people will have access to the safety, affirmation, and mental health resources they deserve.”
With sponsors from Nordstrom to United and Diageo, and a crowd dedicated to both style and giving, School’s Out showed once again that the Hamptons’ most glamorous night can also be its most significant.
View this post on Instagram
