Oliphant, Globe - Abandoned but not alone

[paineinthearse]

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/02/20/abandoned_but_not_alone/

Abandoned but not alone

By Thomas Oliphant, Globe Columnist | February 20, 2005

WASHINGTON

FORGET Alan Keyes -- the right-wing tub-thumper, the talk-show noisemaker, the Republican pol, the conservative ''Christian," the dad who abandoned his teenager because she happens to be gay. The person to care about and take an interest in is Maya Keyes -- the daughter, the young woman who got into Brown University, the kid who spent time teaching in India. Sadly, she is anything but a unique case of a budding scholar instantly impoverished by vindictive parents on the threshold of life.

On the brighter side, it turns out she is not alone, but in the embrace of an organization that was set up a few years ago to help in heart-breaking situations like hers. Thanks to The Point Foundation, she will make it to Brown after all. She will not only have financial aid, she will have at least one adult mentor to confide in as her undergraduate life unfolds.

She will have to work hard to keep her aid, too. She must maintain the equivalent of a 3.5 grade-point average and design a community service program for her ''spare" time. Where higher education is concerned, that is as it should be. It's supposed to be hard, just not impossible because of cruel parents

So will it go for 40 other young people honored a year ago with Point Foundation assistance. Vance Lancaster, the executive director, told me more than 1,000 teenagers applied for help last year, nearly 3,000 this year. What that means is, as he put it, ''Maya Keyes is . . . only the tip of an iceberg, especially when you realize that we are unable to do all that much outreach to kids nationally." The foundation was established by a group of people who as students 30 years ago had also faced parental abandonment because they happened to be gay. They persevered, made it, and then made it big, resolving that they would use some of their wealth to provide the help they lacked. That what happened is still happening is a reminder that the fundamental sources of bigotry remain strong.

more....

Thomas Oliphant's e-mail address is [e-mail].

[Syncronaut Seven]

1. Wow! Now that is cool!

Way cool! Make it a point to alienate your kids you sick rich fu*ks. Makes them that much more passionate and determined to succeed, and what tales they tell.

We get lots of insite from your kids, really. :evilgrin:

[Syncronaut Seven]

2. Kick!

:kick:

[realFedUp]

3. surprising such a wonderfully compassionate and intelligent woman

would survive so well being raised by a father
like her own...

[paineinthearse]

4. The Point Foundation exemplifies real democratic values

Helping the abused and downtrodden. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Falwell!

[paineinthearse]

5. The Point Foundation

http://www.thepointfoundation.org /

The Point Foundation provides financial support, mentoring and hope to meritorious students who are marginalized due to sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Point Foundation seeks the partnership of philanthropic individuals, corporations and foundations to supply financial support, professional guidance and a network of contacts for undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate students who are underprivileged and/or have been socially marginalized — principally by reason of sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Point Foundation recognizes that individuals may be socially marginalized or even abandoned by family, friends and society because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Yet these lives should not be further disadvantaged as they prepare for the future.

The Point Foundation attempts to identify students who are physically, intellectually and morally capable of leadership to play an influential part in the betterment of society.

The Point Foundation also attempts to identify students who have exceptional financial needs that would require personal assistance for personal success. The Point Foundation believes that these individuals would benefit from a support system that facilitates their preparation for the future to help ensure a lifetime of effectual leadership and exceptional productivity.

By identifying and supporting these scholars, The Point Foundation hopes to provide a greater level of acceptance, respect and tolerance within future generations for all persons, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Additionally, The Point Foundation believes in honoring both the scholars and the donors who are investing in the future. Therefore, The Point Foundation honors the donors, if they so choose, by creating a legacy named after themselves, or as a memorial for a loved one. This arrangement ensures their personal identification with scholars and with the mission of The Point Foundation in perpetuity.

The Point Foundation is unique in that every philanthropic dollar will be used to support scholars. This system is possible because the Board of Trustees and an anonymous donor provide total funding for the administrative and fund-raising efforts required for the success of The Point Foundation.

Donate - http://www.thepointfoundation.org/donate.html

[goodhue]

6. kick

[applegrove]

7. What a great idea. Now this is the type of 'civic' organization we need

to see more of. The short time I worked for a homeless organization I saw so many 'kids' really who had been kicked out of home for doing bad things. And then there were a few who got kicked out of home for 'just being themselves'. Having no support or being expelled is a horrid thing. The pull of the cesspool and the parasites is very strong. You end up on social assistance - then you end up in a bad building, and it just gets worse and worse. So many people are just 'one paycheck away' from falling into the trap - it is horrid to see kids fall in ... before they have actually had a chance at life. And at such a young age it is not hard to then 'learn' how to be a victim or worse.

Thank god for an organization such as this that sees a problem and brilliantly comes up with a solution.

:bounce:

[fortyfeetunder]

8. This is the village Hillary and others talked about

We need more of these organizations to be in the village to help raise our children. What an awesome and supportive group of people.

Meanwhile, I only hope that one day Anal Keyes will have to crawl to his daughter for forgiveness...he has proven to be a vindictive, and hypocritical fool for treating his daughter that way.