Did you know that approximately 40 percent of homeless youth are LGBTQ+ identified, and that between 30-40 percent of all LGBTQ+ youth have at some point attempted suicide? While Alabama-specific data doesn’t exist, we have heard the stories of our students, some of whom are part of Spectrum, the University of Alabama’s LGBTQ+ student group. Those stories tell us enough to know that for LGBTQ+ youth the process of coming out remains a significant challenge. Many young people face the double loss of emotional and financial support from their families—precisely the kind of stress which can lead to young people dropping out of college altogether.
Capstone Alliance has created an emergency fund for the University of Alabama’s LGBTQ+ students, so that if they lose their family’s support, they know they have ours. This fund offers temporary emergency financial assistance to LGBTQ+ students in need. It’s our small attempt to help these students stay housed, supported, and safe so they can focus on getting the educations that will help them show the next generation of LGBTQ+ youth that it really does get better.
Students: Click here to complete the Capstone Alliance Emergency Fund Application if you are in need of assistance.
Allies and Potential Donors: If you’d like to contribute to the Capstone Alliance Emergency Fund, please notify Capstone Alliance of your intent to contribute with an email to capstonealliance@gmail.com.