The Orlando 49 and so many other members of the LGBTQ community. Will you help?

[merrily]

Members of the LGBTQ community in the US and around the world go through so much. Maybe we can help.

Let's start with posting some organizations that do good work. I'll start:

The one to which I have been donating is the Human Rights Campaign

Donation Page

From Behind the Aegis

The Trevor Project, which is a suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth and others, as well as a resource for LGBT people struggling and Cyndi Lauper's True Colors Fund which works to end (and addresses) LGBT homelessness, especially among youth.

Donation Page, The Trevor Project

Donation Page, the True Colors Fund


cnn also did a story about helping the victims of the shooting. The story mentioned several organizations raising money for the victims, including Equality Florida, which Behind the Aegis also cited, and an Islamic American organization that is raising funds for the victims.

I can't "parent" the thread this morning, so please keep it kicked. Thank you.

[steve2470]

1. kick nt

[merrily]

2. .

[merrily]

3. kick

[AwakeAtLast]

4. Thank you for the links!

K & R!

[merrily]

5. You're very welcome. I hope others will add some to the thread.

[AwakeAtLast]

6. Yes! That would be great!

[LostOne4Ever]

7. BUMP!!!

[LostOne4Ever]

23. Oh look another BUMP~! nt

[LostOne4Ever]

33. Up we go! Bump!

[LostOne4Ever]

38. TO INFINITY AND BEYOND~! I mean BUMP!

[Behind the Aegis]

8. kick

[merrily]

9. thanks for the kick! The mayor of Orlando started a fund.

http://www.cityoforlando.net/mayor/2016/06/the-oneorlando-fund/

[Behind the Aegis]

10. Thanks for the update.

[merrily]

12. My pleasure. Apparently, the same guy who distributed the Boston One fund

(for victims of the Boston Marathan bombing) will be distributing monies to the relatives of deceased Orlando victims and the surviving Orlando victims. He does it pro bono. He may also have been the one who distributed the 911 funds, too, but I am not sure of that.

[Solly Mack]

11. K&R

[merrily]

16. Thank you. nt

[bigwillq]

13. K and R (nt)

[Aerows]

14. Those still in the hospital

What can we do to show our love and aid their families?

There isn't a plate big enough that I won't step up to.

[merrily]

15. Thanks. Have you looked at the websites and cnn story linked in the OP and elsewhere on this thread?

If you have and are still asking what you can do, you'll need to make your question more specific.

[Aerows]

17. I was in no way criticizing your efforts

But you are right, if I suggest something, I need to get up off of my butt and implement it.

[merrily]

18. ? I didn't think you were criticizing or suggest you get "off your butt."

[Aerows]

19. Well somebody needs to suggest we all get up off of our butts.

I thought you were going to be the one, since you were getting up off of yours.

I'm trying to be funny, my humor fails this early in the morning.

I'm getting off of my butt so early this morning that I'm pretty sure it's still left in a drawer somewhere this morning. Hell, I might have left it in the refrigerator. Did I leave my butt behind the damn couch?

[merrily]

20. You probably should check that out ASAP.

[Aerows]

21. LOL!

Blue couches have always seemed tacky to me.

You *might* make it work if you are hiding behind it waiting to pop up.

Best bumper sticker I saw - In MS of all places -

"I found Jesus. He was behind the couch all this time."

[merrily]

22. Most emoticon couches are tacky.

[mopinko]

24. kick

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

25. Thanks for posting!

nt

[merrily]

28. You're welcome. My pleasure.

[Silver_Witch]

26. Kicked!

Cyndi Lauper has a wonderful org too. I will go find it!

[merrily]

27. Thanks for the kick. Lauper's org is in the OP.

[Prism]

29. Also the OneOrlando Fund

This was set up by Orlando's mayor:

http://www.oneorlando.org/

You can use your phone to text a $10 donation to them.

The Bay Area Rainbow Symphony had a memorial/fundraiser last night. All the musicians were there on their own time. They donated all the funds to Equality Florida and OneOrlando. The conductor, Dawn Harms, is a wonderful woman who gave a very heartfelt speech before a performance of Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony. It was a very emotional, visceral performance and every one in the hall was very moved. You could tell the LGBT musicians wanted to give something and it was reflected in their efforts.

[merrily]

30. Thanks. I mentioned it in Reply 9, but the additional info you've given is very helpful.

I bet the concert was wonderful.

[niyad]

31. k and r

[LWolf]

32. I have not

been involved in greater efforts.

I do, though, do what I can locally.

I support my trans family member unconditionally.

I support my closeted students unconditionally. And they are closeted; they are minors, and we live in a very red, very fundamentalist xtian community. I give them an ear, and I point them to the high school's GSAC club when they leave me; many of my former straight students are active there.

Thank you for pointing out some other places to help.

[merrily]

34. That's great LWolf.

I would recommend that you also point your closeted students to one or more organizations in the community that help gay teens, or, if you fear possible repercussions, just mention that such organizations exist and let the student find them. With google, it won't be that hard. You might also mention that they don't even have to use their own laptop or home computer to search.

I say this because your closeted students may not be ready to risk going to a club with their fellow students, neighbors, etc. The fear that parents and church may find out may be too great for them to seek help.

Because teen suicide is such a risk in that community, I think you may want to ask in DU's LGBT group if there is anything else you may be able to mention to them.

[LWolf]

35. Good points, all. Thanks. nt

[merrily]

36. .

[LWolf]

37. I found a local

Human Dignity Coalition for our greater region; I've left them a message to see what kinds of supports might be available for minors; and I've got donation info for them, as well.

Thanks for pointing me further!