Houston family directs donations to NJ public school she attended and that is named for her The USA Times

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Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Houston family directs donations to NJ public school she attended and that is named for her

(AP Photo/Rich Schultz)

NEWARK, N.J. - 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.