[OutVoice] OUTMusic Foundation Supporting LGBT Charities or NOT???...Just passing this along

[Terry Christopher]

Here's Phyllis's follow up and THANKFULLY...Phyllis stayed the course to make sure her intended gift was given as she wished to Sylvia's Place as purported by The OUTmusic Foundation.  Let this be a lesson to each of us to research your generous and hard earned money on behalf of the charity of your choice and especially those given to our deserving LGBT Community.  
 
In Music,
Terry Christopher
 
MCCNY Sylvia’s Place – Gift Card Mystery Solved, Santa Donation in Nick of Time


Well, a lot has been happening at Sylvia’s Place in New York City, since I last reported that Santa was still busy trying to track down the missing gift cards.    If you’ve been following the crumbs on this  cookie trail, you know we’ve been trying to track down Santa’s $250 missing donation (See Dec 22, 2010 post Sylvia’s Place LGBT Kids – Tracking Down Santa’s Donation) since November.  I was worried OUTMusic would not deliver in time, so sent an additional $250 to make sure these kids had their stocking stuffers for Christmas.
I was thrilled to receive an email from the administrator of charity funds for MCCNY on Tuesday, January 4th, letting me know that Sylvia’s Place had enough money to purchase GAP gift cards for all residents of the shelter, so the kids were able to get warm clothing for Christmas.   She also let me know that OUTMusic sent the balance of my original $400 contribution to Sylvia’s Place the week after Christmas, so the mystery is solved, Santa’s donation arrived in full, and the LGBTQ  youth at Sylvia’s Place in NYC had a little something special in their stockings this year.
My thanks to MCCNY for working with me to get the money in the hands of Sylvia’s Place,  to OUTMusic for following through on their promise, and to all of you out there who share in my goal to keep the kids in our community off the streets, safe, sheltered, nurtured and fed.    May 2011 lessen the impact of intolerance on the alienated youth who feel its sting most keenly.



 
--- On Thu, 1/13/11, Terry Christopher <enterrytainer at yahoo.com> wrote:


From: Terry Christopher <enterrytainer at yahoo.com>
Subject: OUTMusic Foundation Supporting LGBT Charities or NOT???...Just passing this along
To: "OutVoice" <outvoice at outvoice.net>
Date: Thursday, January 13, 2011, 8:34 PM







This was brought to my attention and I wanted to pass it along...seems like rather interesting...originally posted by 
Phyllis A. Travis 
 
Sylvia’s Place LGBT Kids – Tracking Down Santa’s Donation


OK, here we are, just a few days away from Christmas, and Sylvia’s Place is still looking for a special delivery of those gift cards.
If you’ve been following this blog, you know I have been helping Santa track down my $400 donation earmarked for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender and queer youth searching for shelter at  Sylvia’s Place in NYC,  following the cancellation of the OUTMusic Awards on November 22nd (originally scheduled for December 1st at the Town Hall). 
As a nominee for OUTStanding Love Song of the Year,  I wanted to keep the positive energy flowing by donating the funds I paid for the OMA Gala package to an organization dedicated to assisting LGBTQ kids in crisis.   I learned about Sylvia’s Place through my contact at OUTMusic, and had hoped to deliver the gift cards personally on December 1st  when I was in NYC. 
Fast forward to today, three weeks later almost to the minute, when I was advised by OUTMusic that the trip to Sylvia’s Place had also been canceled.    Nonetheless, I was devoted to a cause now, so returned home and blogged about the experience. 
Where, oh, where are those gift cards?  Following the first blog, I was contacted by the administrator of charity funds for Metropolitan Community Church New York – Sylvia’s Place, advising there had been no communication from OUTMusic about my donation.   Surely there was some misunderstanding?  I had all but been assured the gift cards were already delivered. 
I gave all the info needed to MCCNY – Sylvia’s Place, who let me know everything was in place to meet with OUTMusic on Monday the 2oth and get the donation in hand.   Finally, I thought, Santa would get the gift cards in time to take care of Sylvia’s kids. 
So, imagine my surprise to get an email yesterday from OUTMusic advising that only $150 of my contribution went to Sylvia’s Place, while the balance of $250 was used to purchase sleeping bags and board games for a holiday party benefiting OUTMusic’s  ”sponsor a youth” campaign.   Now, this is all in the same pot more or less, our LGBTQ ‘kids’ are getting helped, so it’s all good.  Right?  Sort of.   Problem is, I had that money specifically earmarked for Sylvia’s Place, and thought I was very clear about that. 
Just to clear up any confusion, I immediately advised my contact that I wanted all 400 bucks to go to Sylvia’s kids, cuz’ Santa was on a deadline and getting impatient.   I later apologized for the tone, but not the intent, which is to make sure every dollar of that $400 I gave OUTMusic on November 21st, for an event that was canceled less than 24 hours later, goes to Sylvia’s Place. 
I will keep blogging until Santa lets  me know those gift cards are on the sleigh, ready for delivery to kids looking for shelter and a little bit of Hope this Christmas Eve, at Sylvia’s Place. 
To learn more, please see the earlier posts, Gift Card Karma – Sylvia’s Place Follow Up,  and the one I wrote right after returning from NYC, Back from the Big Apple – More OUTMusic News.  Please also help me support Sylvia’s Place this year.    I have promised to make up the balance of the donation, $250 still owed, even if OUTMusic does not deliver, but together, we can all make a HUGE difference for the children and older LGBTQ New York City youth alienated from families and friends, OUT on the streets this Christmas season and months beyond, in search of a warm, embracing heart.    You can donate to Sylvia’s Place, a MCCNY sponsored non-profit Homeless Youth Services shelter, using this link.http://www.homelessyouthservices.org/donate.html.  Thank you.    I dedicated Come, Follow Me, All You Restless Sailors to every child and adult struggling to “come out” in safety, without fear of reprisal, torture or targeted abuse.