Bravo's Andy Cohen, Margarethe Cammermeyer and Johnson & Johnson To Be Honored By Point Foundation

Kelly Ripa to co-host Point's Annual Gala in NYC

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Point Foundation (Point), the nation's largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students of merit, announced today the recipients of its Courage, Legend and Inspiration Awards. And the awards go to . . .

• Andy Cohen, Bravo's Executive Vice President of Original Programming and Development, who will receive the Point Courage Award.  Cohen hosts Bravo's Watch What Happens Live.
• Margarethe "Grethe" Cammermeyer, former colonel in the Washington National Guard and gay rights advocate, who will receive the Point Legend Award.
• Johnson & Johnson, which will receive the Point Inspiration Award.

The awards will be presented at Point's annual New York benefit, Point Honors, which will be held on April 4, 2011 at Capitale (130 Bowery New York, NY 10013). Kelly Ripa, co-host of LIVE! with Regis and Kelly, returns for the second consecutive year to co-host the gala.

The Point Courage Award recognizes an individual who has advocated for the future of the LGBT community and lives with the vision that investing in today's potential will produce a brighter tomorrow.

"Not only has Andy Cohen selflessly supported Point Foundation and the LGBT community over the years, but as an out, proud, successful television executive and on-air personality, he serves as an outstanding role model for our Point Scholars and young people everywhere," states Jorge Valencia, Point's Executive Director & CEO.

"The work the Point Foundation does for LGBT students has never been more important than right now," offered Cohen, an Emmy and Peabody Award recipient. "I'm thrilled to be honored by an organization that's all about lifting up my gay brothers and sisters!"

The Point Legend Award is presented to an individual who has, through the course of their lifetime, achieved greatness in their professional career and unapologetically supported the LGBT community.

"As a colonel and nurse, serving our country as an out lesbian, Grethe is living proof of what Point instills in each of its scholars: to be resilient, giving and passionate about what they believe in," said Valencia of Cammermeyer, who in 1989 during an interview for top-secret clearance needed to apply for the War College, told the military she was a lesbian.

Cammermeyer, celebrating the end of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" said, "The struggle for social justice starts with one person's lonely journey and culminates with the efforts of many to achieve a collective victory. 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is now history and 'Liberty and Justice' applies to us all."

Cammermeyer co-wrote her autobiography, Serving in Silence, which later became a television film starring Glenn Close. Executive produced by Glenn Close, Cis Corman, Richard Heus, Neil Meron, Barbra Streisand and Craig Zadan, Serving in Silence won three Emmys and the Peabody Award.

The Point Inspiration Award recognizes a corporation that champions respect and inclusion of the LGBT community, and believes that the success achieved by talented young people is limited only by the resources and opportunities they are given to help them fulfill their potential.

"Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has been a wonderful friend to Point Foundation," states Valencia. "They have supported Point for a number of years, including sponsorship of a Named Scholarship, which pays for the schooling of Gene de Haan at University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, helping Gene attain the dreams of one day practicing Family Medicine."

J&J earned a 100% rating in the Human Rights Campaign's (HRC) Corporate Equality Index for 2011, their sixth consecutive year. It's Gay & Lesbian Organization for Business and Leadership (GLOBAL) initiative is part of the Diversity & Inclusion Vision set forth by all J&J companies.

The Point Honors New York gala is an awards ceremony, accompanied by dinner, live auction and celebrity presenters and performers.

Sponsors include Estee Lauder Companies, MetroSource Magazine, Next Magazine, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Time Warner and Wells Fargo.

Honorary co-chairs are Shelley Freeman, Judith Light, David Mixner, Neil Meron and Craig Zadan. Event co-chairs are Shelley Fischel, Dan Osheyack, Jonah B. Trout and Richard Ziegelasch.

Students who are awarded the organization's prestigious scholarships, known as Point Scholars, are selected through a rigorous and highly competitive process that requires a record of demonstrated academic excellence, leadership skills and financial need. A number of Point Scholars will attend the benefit.

Ticket and table sales are available now. Call 212.247.7318 or visit www.pointfoundation.org to purchase. Sponsorship opportunities are also available by contacting Michael Marino at [email protected] or 212.247.7318.

About Point Foundation

Point Foundation (Point) is the nation's largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students of merit. Point provides financial support, leadership training, mentoring and hope to LGBT individuals who are marginalized because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Point provides its scholars with the financial ability to attend the nation's foremost higher educational institutions and its donors and mentors with the rare satisfaction of directly investing their resources and time in future generations of leaders.

For more information about Point Foundation, please visit www.pointfoundation.org. Point Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) organization.

SOURCE Point Foundation