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    Houston family directs donations to NJ school

    NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Whitney Houston's family is asking that any donations in her memory be sent to the arts-focused public school in New Jersey that she attended as a child and that is now named after her.

    In lieu of flowers, they say mourners should donate to the Whitney Houston Academy of Creative and Performing Arts in East Orange.

    Houston attended the school as a girl when it was named the Franklin School. She was a regular visitor for many years afterward.

    The singer was born in Newark but grew up in nearby East Orange. She died Saturday at a hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.

    Her invitation-only funeral is set for noon Saturday at Newark's New Hope Baptist Church, where she sang in the choir. The Houston family says no public memorial service is planned at this time.

     

    31 comments

    • Rhonda T  •  Huntsville, Alabama  •  3 mths ago
      Personally, I am glad the family is keeping it private. She lived her life now let her rest in peace. No more demons to fight real or not. God be with you Whitney...
    • PAM J  •  Port Arthur, Texas  •  3 mths ago
      I'm happy they family is keeping it private. It will not be a show.
      • lupe 3 mths ago
        positively private. no media, no helicopters, no t.v. new that night. yeah. right.
      • diana 3 mths ago
        CNN reported that ONLY 300 guests were invited. This, to me, is not a private funeral. You can bet that there will be plenty of news reporters, cameras, and celebrities there. PRIVATE? I think not.
      • BeeGee 3 mths ago
        They will have cameras and broadcast it over the internet. They are just not having as many people in the building like MJ's funeral.
    • proudtobeanamerican  •  3 mths ago
      Good for the Houston family...keeping this funeral and good-bye private is classy and respectful. Making donations in Whitney's memory to the school named for her is great...flowers are pretty, but don't last, and this way, much better things will come the school's way as a result of this tragedy...the public needs to back off and let this upset family say good-bye in peace..without the circus like Michael Jackson's turned out to be...and the MEDIA needs to back off...
    • LITTLE ANN  •  Searcy, Arkansas  •  3 mths ago
      DONATIONS!!!! Are they out of their minds??? Let them donate or out of the money Whitney had, That is absurd!
      • johnnie 3 mths ago
        Read it again. If you are planning on buying flowers, don't. Instead give a donation.
    • Maria  •  3 mths ago
      For crying out loud. The school is named AFTER her and it's not her family's school. Many public school fine arts programs nationwide are financially strapped. It's a selfless thing to do.
    • deanne  •  Des Moines, Iowa  •  3 mths ago
      Good for them, they have the private time with her to say goodbye. Thats the way it should be. Fans can do their own thing, let the family be. And why buy flowers, they die to, give to what she belived in and helped, its goes along way in her name. RIP.
    • diana  •  San Jose, California  •  3 mths ago
      I don't consider 300 guests a private funeral. A private funeral is what Elizabeth Taylor had. Just family, no media, and no fan fare. Just my opinion. Personally I think too much has been made of her passing. She was a beautiful woman, with a great voice, BUT, I think the grammies, and the media should have put out a 'wake up call' condemning DRUGS & alcohol. Instead, the focus was on her voice and seem to glorify her life. May she rest in peace.
    • QueenTina  •  Baltimore, Maryland  •  3 mths ago
      I agree with you Everyday American. I was sad about her death but the media and everyone is acting like she was a god just because she had a talent. How bad do you all feel about the druggers on the street that die everyday is anyone making donations for them.
      • diana 3 mths ago
        I agree......QueenTina. Too much coverage, and too much glorifying. All day today the focus was on her beloved daughter and how she was Whitney's entire life. Sad way to show it and end it.
    • Deborah  •  Islip, New York  •  3 mths ago
      why is it that mostly all of you are leaving disrepectful comments?? a woman has passed, a famous woman, but that doesn't matter. What does matter is that she left a daughter behind, and her legacy with that songbird voice of hers. You probably don't know because most of you aren't addicts. When you're an addict, the wolf is always at the door. Show some respect people!
      • luvchanel 3 mths ago
        Show respect...she had no respect for herself or the people in her life. Yes at one time she was a great singer but the last ten + years of her life she was a waste. She threw it all away for drugs etc. Don't romanticize the truth, she was an alcoholic drug addict. Period. Hopefully her daughter won't follow her.
      • diana 3 mths ago
        to Luvchanel: I have already read, and seen on TV that her daughter has been doing drugs for the past two years, and they quoted that mom was not around. Where was her beloved mom.......and where was Bobbi while her mom was out in CA partying?
      • Td 3 mths ago
        famous???? lol in the eyes of a simple minded person!!!!!! she was a beligerant druken crack smoking sexual promiscious lewd lady!!!!!!
    • Sorry to bother you.  •  Boston, Massachusetts  •  3 mths ago
      I agree with little ann. #$%$ Donate whitneys money. Shes not gonna spend it anyhow. yes. give her kid some. but dont ask us for money.. this is whats wrong with the world today. give to the rich and steal from the poor.
    • C W  •  Encino, California  •  3 mths ago
      You know what the craziest thing about all of this. Whitney Houston died from prescription medication and booze. Two of the most deadlist and might I say - legal things in this world. But the majority of people in this country do it everyday. From Oxy to Uppers and downers, and Zanax. The majority of the public takes transqualizers to get to sleep or even prescrition sleeping pills or even over the counter pills to help them get to sleep. And a whole host of other drugs (coffee and the like) to get them up and them more drugs to keep you up for the day. So, before you start passing judgment on this worman, think about what you put in your mouth for your pain or just to get a little edge on the weekend.
      • cindazoo 3 mths ago
        Am not sure if anything like this is in place, but seems that Dr's that prescribe these meds should have a place on the net to compare what other Dr's have prescribed to the same individual, and should be forced to sign off there that they have prescribed them to that same person. There should be some sort of education required for anyone to start taking these highly potent drugs, showing how easy it is to get addicted, how to avoid addiction, and the very real danger of death from mixing them with alcohol.
      • Vincent 3 mths ago
        Wow I did know u were the toxicologist!
      • Edward 3 mths ago
        I agree there needs to be wider education on drugs and alcohol. Maybe there wouldn't be as much need for treatment centers.
        We always hear about the passing of the famous, from drugs and alcohol. But so many others die everyday that are never reported my the media.
    • CORavensFan  •  Denver, Colorado  •  3 mths ago
      Donations? The woman made millions. Why would anyone send donations?
    • Helen  •  New York, New York  •  3 mths ago
      Invitation only? lol PRIVATE is a much nicer sounding word. I'm sorry your invitation got lost in the mail, but if you'll wait for someone else to die, we promise to invite you to the next one!
    • A Yahoo! User  •  3 mths ago
      No one gave a #$%$ about her for the last (15) years. Where were all her friends and family then?
    • sarah  •  Kansas City, Missouri  •  3 mths ago
      Seriously? They are taking memorials? Who is donating to this family and for what reason? She has/had a ton of assets. I can't imagine they don't have the wealth to deal with this.
    • Everyday American  •  3 mths ago
      First of all, I have never understood why people get flowers, teddy bears, candles and all that stuff for DEAD people. They're DEAD, people! They can't see or appreciate that stuff. Second, why would people give donations? A bunch of poor people giving money for a rich person who spent all her own money on drugs? I hope not...
    • lp  •  3 mths ago
      Donations should go to drug and alcohol awareness groups in the area. Young people need to realize she was nothing to emulate. Whitney, instead of being a mother to her only child, exchanged rolls with her daughter and made her the caretaker of her druggie mother! So sad! I really feel for the poor daughter. She probably feels like she didn't do enough to protect her mother, since she was the one in the responsible roll.
    • S  •  3 mths ago
      well said Rhonda T....God Bless This brilliant talented women and may her spirit live out through everyone who loved her and may god wrap his arms in comfort around Bobbi Kristina,Cicely & Bobby Brown...and family& friends ect
    • rose  •  3 mths ago
      God help us. God help the families.
    • Td  •  3 mths ago
      the school is 90% black-donate to blacks again --------what about other races!!!!!!!!!
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