True Colors Fund
The True Colors Fund is an American nonprofit organization co-founded by Cyndi Lauper in 2008 to educate people regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues and end LGBT youth homelessness.[1]
Structure
The True Colors Fund is a parent organization of two projects: The Forty to None Project, the leading national voice on LGBT homelessness, and the Give a Damn Campaign, an online project dedicated to engaging everyone, especially straight people, in LGBT issues and the advancement of equality.[2]
History
The True Colors Fund was founded in 2008 by Cyndi Lauper, her manager Lisa Barbaris, and agent Jonny Podell, following the success of Lauper's True Colors tour, which benefited LGBT foundations including the Human Rights Campaign, PFLAG, and the Matthew Shepard Foundation.
Projects
Forty to None Project
The Forty to None Project is the first national program to focus ending on LGBT youth homelessness. It is estimated that up to forty percent of homeless youth identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.[3] The Forty to None Project is composed of five program areas, including education, advocacy, empowerment, capacity building and inclusion, and research. The program uses public service announcements, political lobbying, public surveys, and partnerships and accountability programs with service providers to work toward its goal of eliminating LGBT youth homelessness.[4]
Camp True Colors
Camp True Colors is a summer camp for LGBT youth in out-of-home care. As a partnership with housing and service providers One Heartland and Green Chimneys, the camp is designed to build confidence in, offer support to, and provide a safe-haven for youth. After an inaugural 2012, Camp True Colors will expand in 2013 to expand the number of youth that can attend, as well as add an extra day to the camp calendar.[5]
Give a Damn Campaign
The Give a Damn Campaign was launched in 2008 as an online resource of information on current LGBT issues. The website is especially geared for straight people, who want to learn more about and get involved in LGBT issues.[6] The website features an issues page, outlining major topics including workplace discrimination, hate crimes, marriage, faith, school, suicide, homelessness, family acceptance, parenting, international, health care, immigration, older adults, and the military.[7] Each issue page provides a link to a partner organization's website for readers to visit for more information and opportunities to get further involved with the issue.
Another component of the Give a Damn Campaign is a series of Public Service Announcement videos featuring celebrities and notable individuals. Each video is centered around a specific issue of the campaign and urges viewers to get involved.
The website also allows users to take a pledge to "Give a Damn" about LGBT equality, which personalizes the site based on the information given and keeps users up-to-date with news via monthly e-newsletters.
Cyndi Lauper & Friends: Home for the Holidays
Home for the Holidays is an annual benefit concert held each December at the Beacon Theater in New York City. First held in 2011, the concert raises awareness about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth homelessness, with 100% of proceeds benefiting the Forty to None project. Past performers include musicians and comedy acts such as Sarah McLachlan, Whoopi Goldberg, Adam Lambert, Rosie O'Donnell, Roberta Flack, Carson Kressely, and St. Vincent.[8]
References
- ↑ http://truecolorsfund.org/about/mission
- ↑ http://truecolorsfund.org/our-work
- ↑ http://fortytonone.org/about-us/mission/
- ↑ http://fortytonone.org/our-work/program-areas/
- ↑ http://fortytonone.org/our-work/program-areas/empowerment/
- ↑ http://www.wegiveadamn.org/about-damn/
- ↑ http://www.wegiveadamn.org/issues/
- ↑ https://truecolorsfund.org/homefortheholidays/homefortheholidays2012/