FALSETTOS Stars Christian Borle and Stephanie J. Block Pack Baskets for Actors' Equity Foundation's Falat Holiday Project

Just in time for the holiday season, the Actors' Equity Foundation has revived the Stephen J. Falat Holiday Basket Project, which provides holiday cheer and quality of life items to men, women, children, and families living with HIV and AIDS in the New York metropolitan area.

This year, to help kick off the basket stuffing, the Foundation invited stars of Falsettos Stephanie J. Block and Christian Borle to pack some baskets, meet the volunteers, and play with the toys!

In 1985, in the midst of the growing HIV/AIDS crisis, actor Stephen J. Falat had an epiphany: during the holidays, when so many HIV and AIDS patients were focused on merely surviving, the spirit of the season took a backseat. So that year, Stephen visited patients at St. Luke's Hospital and gave out gift baskets, full of simple quality of life items: clothing, toiletries, and food. The following year, in partnership with Actors' Equity Association, the number of baskets rose to 150. Stephen passed in 1991 at age 29 and the project was named in his honor.

In 2016, volunteers are packing 1100 baskets to deliver to Housing Works, Mount Sinai Hospital, FACES, ARCHCARE at Terence Cardinal Cooke Health Center, Bailey-Holt House, and The Actors Fund.

The Stephen J. Falat Basket Project is generously sponsored by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Estate of Al Checco, Melissa & Doug, Hint Water, Athleta, Amy Wolk, Academy of Our Lady of Grace Children and Youth Group, Filomena D'Amico, Principal, Fans of Barry Manilow & Bruce Sussman's Musical "Harmony", and Seton Hotel. For more information or ways to get involved, visit actorsequityfoundation.org.

Established in 1962, the Actors' Equity Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, exists to support the professional theatre community, from emerging artists to seasoned vets, while promoting and investing in theatre and the performing arts.