America's Shame
A Place Called Home highlights America's shame of the the currently 600,000 homeless LGBT teens.
As Do Nothing Congress fails to act on the Runaway and Homeless Youth Inclusion Act of 2013, the lives of the approximately 400,000 LGBT youth who will face homelessness this year will consist of searching for food and safe shelter where they won’t need not worry about being assaulted, raped and murdered and will very often trade sex for these necessities that you, I and our families take for granted. According to the National Coalition For The Homeless, 58.7% of LGBT homeless youth have been sexually victimized.
"While life gets better for millions of gays, the number of homeless LGBT teens - many cast out by their religious families - quietly keeps growing."
Today we are launching a historic GoFundMe campaign for a movie inspired by these homeless LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) youth and is dedicated to bringing them out of the shadows and into the light to ensure they are no longer overlooked, forgotten and cease dying in the streets.
A Place Called Home, set in present day NYC, is a coming of age drama about Ally Cooper, an All-American girl, whose life is turned upside down as she explores & struggles to accept her sexuality as she faces the harsh reality of the new reality of her life. A life of loss - loss of family and loss of friends on her journey to a place to call home.
Our campaign is historic for three reasons:
1) We are shining a very big spotlight on homeless LGBTQ youth by realistically showing what their lives are like - no holds barred;
2) To date, the largest amount raised on GoFundMe is $1,084,490. With your help, we hope to successfully meet our goal as we shed light on what is a tragic existence for too many LGBT kids; and
3) A recent study shows that LGBT "characters are lacking" in Hollywood films. Well, we aim to help change that, too, by creating a film that is unique in its storytelling - brutal in its honesty yet told with compassion.
THE FACTS - AMERICA'S SHAME
ONE homeless LGBTQ teen dies every FOUR hours on the street. SIX will die today!
58.7% of LGBT homeless youth have been sexually victimized compared to 33.4% of heterosexual homeless youth.
62 percent of gay and transgender homeless youth attempt suicide compared to 29 percent of their heterosexual homeless peers.
With your help, we will be able to remain independent and tell our story without compromising production quality in any way.
Every penny that we raise will aid in the production of our movie -- casting, crew, equipment, wardrobe, production design, etc.
So, please help us make history by supporting our campaign and then getting 10 friends to support us as well. Not only will we make a great film together, we'll be helping shed light on homeless LGBTQ kids everywhere.
Their lives are in our hands.
Thank you so very much for your generosity. We are humbled and deeply appreciative.
FAQ's
Can you exceed your goal?
YES! And, quite honestly,we hope we do!
When can I redeem my reward?
It depends on the reward. Some will happen ONLY if we meet our goal. Some will happen right away (Tweetouts). Some will happen after production begins (top secret production information). The screenings and digital downloads etc. will happen after the film is completed.
Is travel and accomodation included in the rewards.
No. I'm sorry but travel and accomodation are the donor's responsibility.
Can I choose when I can visit the set, act as a crew member, have dinner with the Director and Cast, etc?
No, but we will do everything possible to accommodate your schedule. But, the timing of all set visits, speaking roles, etc. are the Producer's discretion.
Do I get to determine when I will be on set or be an extra, etc.
No. While we will work to accomodate your schedule, the production schedule determines when prizes can be redeemed.
I'm not in the US. Can I still pledge?
Yes. You can pledge from anywhere in the world.
How can I contact you?
You can contact us directly via our website contact form. We promise to get back to you right away! Cross our hearts!
