Abandoned but not alone - Maya Keyes & the Point Foundation

[paineinthearse]

The article is about the good works of The Point Foundation -

http://www.thepointfoundation.org /

- and ties diretly to Conservative Idiot of the Week #187 - http://www.democraticunderground.com/top10/05/187.html - ALAY KEYES

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

For background, see WP's Mark Fisher's "When Sexuality Undercuts A Family's Ties
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20005-2005Feb12.html?sub=AR

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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] .

[paineinthearse]

1. The Point Foundation Information

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

[paineinthearse]

2. Is there no DU interest in the works of this foundation? nt

[pearl]

3. I'm inspired by this info

Although, I'm dirt poor and just wish there was a foundation for
mentally ill disabled breast cancer surviving folks like me.
I'm gay too. Yes, there are a million foundations but none of them
seem to help people directly. kick for more discussion.
Sorry, I'm blue and bitter today.