Point Foundation Honors The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. with Point Inspiration Award for Continued Support of LGBTQ Community

NEW YORK, Feb. 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Point Foundation (Point), the nation's largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) students of merit will honor The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. at its Point Honors New York gala, April 15 www.pointfoundation.org/NYHonors. The Estee Lauder Companies will be accorded the Point Inspiration Award for championing respect and inclusion of the LGBTQ community, and operating with the vision that investing in today's potential will produce a brighter tomorrow. 

Since 2009, Executives and employees of The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. have forged a strong partnership with Point Foundation: serving as mentors to Point Scholar, hosting professional development sessions at Point leadership conferences, volunteering their time as event chairs and committee members, along with hosting receptions benefiting the Foundation's efforts countrywide.

"I'm deeply honored to accept the Point Inspiration Award on behalf of The Estee Lauder Companies," said Peter Lichtenthal, President, Bumble and bumble and Smashbox. "The Estee Lauder Companies has long fostered a culture of inclusion and diversity. We have supported many LGBTQ causes over the years, and our belief in Point Foundation, and the transformative help it provides to deserving scholars, is an important example of this commitment. Point provides LGBTQ scholars not only with funding, but with crucial mentoring services that work to ensure the scholar's success. I have found working with Point Foundation highly rewarding, first as co-chair of some of Point's 2012 events and recently as mentor to a Point Scholar."

"We are honored to recognize and celebrate The Estee Lauder Companies for their commitment to not only the LGBTQ community and Point Foundation," said Jorge Valencia, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Point Foundation. "Forbes Magazine ranks The Estee Lauder Companies as one of the most innovative companies in the world, and this is clearly demonstrated by the integral role The Estee Lauder Companies has played in helping Point champion equal access to higher education for LGBTQ students."

About The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.: The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. is one of the world's leading manufacturers and marketers of quality skin care, makeup, fragrance and hair care products. The Company's products are sold in over 150 countries and territories under the following brand names: Estee Lauder, Aramis, Clinique, Prescriptives, Lab Series, Origins, MAC, Bobbi Brown, Tommy Hilfiger, Kiton, La Mer, Donna Karan, Aveda, Jo Malone, Bumble and bumble, Darphin, Michael Kors, American Beauty, Flirt!, GoodSkin Labs, Grassroots Research Labs, Tom Ford, Coach, Ojon, Smashbox, Ermenegildo Zegna, AERIN Beauty and Osiao.  www.elcompanies.com

About Point Foundation: Point Foundation empowers promising LGBTQ students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential – despite the obstacles often put before them – to make a significant impact on society.  Point promotes change through education, mentorship, leadership development and community service training, and provides its scholars with the financial ability to attend the nation's foremost higher educational institutions.

Eugene Patron
Point Foundation
(212) 512-7807
[email protected]

Bari Seiden
The Estee Lauder Companies
(212) 572-4475
[email protected]                                              

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SOURCE Point Foundation