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Lady Gaga’s mothjer writes an uplifting message on a whiteboard filled with other such messages for young LGBTQ+ people. Credit: WINK News A youth organization in Port Charlotte is receiving a generous donation from pop star Lady Gaga, whose Born This Way Foundation is giving $500,000 to organizations that support young LGBTQ+ people. All Rainbow and Allied Youth, based in Port Charlotte, is getting a portion of that. Its mission is to create a better community for LGBTQ+ youth, which earned the group the support of Born This Way Foundation. “We wanted to address the challenges that LGBTQ+ young people are facing today, and we wanted to highlight and amplify organizations all across the country that are doing work to support and provide resources for these young people,” said Josh Meredith with Born This Way Foundation. “ARAY, All Rainbow and Allied Youth, they’re in Port Charlotte, and we’re so excited to be able to donate to them and provide support to them as they connect these young people with resources.” Lady Gaga’s mother, Cynthia Germanotta, writes an uplifting message on a whiteboard filled with other such messages for young LGBTQ+ people. Credit: WINK News “We also work to provide inclusive mental health providers to our young people, and really just support our young people in any way that they need to be able to shine and be themselves,” said Hal Trejo, board president of ARAY. Trejo says there are thousands of gay youth in Charlotte County and the donation money will go towards providing resources and saving lives. Both ARAY and Born This Way say their services are needed even more now that rules for schools are changing. “LGBTQ inclusion clubs in schools are being restricted in terms of their activities, and much more that are just, frankly, attacks on young people’s civil rights within schools,” Trejo said. “That’s the reason that ARAY is so important and so critical in supporting students during a time when their rights are under attack.” “We are so grateful for the work of organizations like ARAY and communities across the country that are working to provide resources, specifically mental health resources, to support youth who are experiencing the fallout of this legislation,” Meredith said. The motto of the Born This Way Foundation is “kindness contributes to mental wellness.”