Jamie Lynn Spears’ donation denied by mental health organization amid memoir backlash
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By Kelli Dugan, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Jamie Lynn Spears will have to find another beneficiary for a portion of the benefits from her pending memoir, “Things I Should Have Said.”
Photos: Jamie Lynn Spears through the years Here are some memorable photos of actress and singer Jamie Lynn Spears – the sister of pop star Britney Spears – through the years. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Photos: Jamie Lynn Spears through the years 2002: Britney Spears and her sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, at the Teen Choice Awards 2002 at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles on August 4, 2002. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images/FOX)
Photos: Jamie Lynn Spears through the years 2003: Britney Spears and Jamie Lynn Spears backstage during Nickelodeon's 16th annual Kids' Choice Awards at the Barker Hangar on April 12, 2003, in Santa Monica, California. (Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)
Photos: Jamie Lynn Spears through the years 2004: Actress Jamie Lynn Spears attends Nickelodeon's 17th annual Kids' Choice Awards at Pauley Pavilion on the campus of UCLA on April 3, 2004, in Westwood, California. (Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)
Photos: Jamie Lynn Spears through the years 2005: Actress Jamie Lynn Spears arrives at the seventh annual Young Hollywood Awards at the Music Box/Henry Fonda Theater on May 1, 2005, in Los Angeles. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Photos: Jamie Lynn Spears through the years 2006: Actress Jamie Lynn Spears arrives at the 19th annual Kid's Choice Awards held at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion on April 1, 2006, in Westwood, California. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Photos: Jamie Lynn Spears through the years 2007: Actress Jamie Lynn Spears (left) and "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul pose in the Distinctive Assets gift lounge during the 20th annual Kid's Choice Awards at Pauley Pavilion on March 31, 2007, in Los Angeles. (Michael Buckner/Getty Images For Distinctive Assets)
Photos: Jamie Lynn Spears through the years 2009: Jamie Lynn Spears and Casey Aldridge pose at the hit musical "Rock of Ages" on Broadway at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on November 24, 2009, in New York. (Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic via Getty Images)
Photos: Jamie Lynn Spears through the years 2011: Kellie Pickler, Jamie Lynn Spears and Niki Taylor attend Music Builds: the CMT Disaster Relief Concert on May 12, 2011, in Nashville, Tennessee. (Rick Diamond/Getty Images for CMT)
Photos: Jamie Lynn Spears through the years 2013: Jamie Lynn Spears appears on NBC News' "Today" show in 2013. (Peter Kramer/NBC/NBC Newswire/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
Photos: Jamie Lynn Spears through the years 2014: In this handout photo provided by Disney Parks, actress and country music artist Jamie Lynn Spears poses with her husband, Jamie Watson; her 6-year-old daughter, Maddie; and Minnie Mouse in front of Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom park August 14, 2014, in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Chloe Rice/Disney Parks via Getty Images)
Photos: Jamie Lynn Spears through the years 2015: Jamie Watson (left) and actress/singer Jamie Lynn Marie Spears Watson attend the 50th Academy of Country Music Awards at AT&T Stadium on April 19, 2015, in Arlington, Texas. (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
Photos: Jamie Lynn Spears through the years 2016: Singer-songwriter Jamie Lynn Spears attends the 50th annual CMA Awards at the Bridgestone Arena on November 2, 2016, in Nashville, Tennessee. (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
Photos: Jamie Lynn Spears through the years 2017: Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford, shows actress Jamie Lynn Spears around the garage area during practice for the 59th annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 25, 2017, in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
This is My Brave, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering “individuals to put their names and faces on their true stories of recovery from mental illness and addiction,” publicly declined on Monday to accept the former “Zoey 101″ actress’ promised contribution.
“We hear you. This Is My Brave was recently recommended to be a beneficiary organization for the proceeds from Jamie Lynn Spears’ upcoming book. We have made the decision to decline the offer of receiving proceeds from the book sales,” the organization wrote on its official Instagram page.
Jamie Lynn Spears, 30, is the younger sister of pop icon Britney Spears, 39, who only recently exited a 13-year conservatorship through which their father, Jamie Spears, controlled the elder daughter’s finances and life for more than a decade. Britney Spears’ widely reported mental health and substance abuse issues have played out publicly in the two decades since her meteoric rise to fame, but her massive fanbase has remained intensely loyal throughout the public drama.
According to Billboard, Jamie Lynn Spears praised This is My Brave’s “amazing work,” announcing on Oct. 11 her intentions to offer the nonprofit the financial support “because I know how scary it can be to share personal struggles, especially if you don’t feel you have the support or a safe space to do so.”
In the wake of the verbal commitment, however, This is My Brave faced backlash from Britney Spears fans, who argued that Jamie Lynn Spears exploited her older sister’s conservatorship battle and did not support her, USA Today reported.
In a June 23 hearing, Britney Spears blamed her family for her troubled past, telling judges, “I would honestly like to sue my family, to be totally honest with you. I also would like to be able to share my story with the world, and what they did to me, instead of it being a hush-hush secret to benefit all of them,” Billboard reported.
Photos: Britney Spears through the years Here are some memorable moments from pop star Britney Spears' life in the public eye. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 1998: Britney Spears at the 1998 American Music Awards. (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 1999: Teen pop sensation Britney Spears performing at Universal Ampitheater for her "Baby One More Time" tour in Universal City, California, on July 31, 1999. (Brenda Chase/Online USA, Inc. via Getty Images)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2000: Perfromer Britney Spears, winner of the awards for "Albums of the Year" and "Biggest One Week Sales of an Album by a Female Artist," arrives at the 2000 Billboard Music Awards on December 5, 2000, at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. (Chris Weeks/Liaison via Getty Images)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2001: Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake of N'Sync at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. (Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2001: Britney Spears onstage performing at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards held at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center in New York City on September 6, 2001. (Scott Gries/ImageDirect via Getty Images)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2002: Britney Spears and boyfriend Justin Timberlake arrive at the premiere of her movie "Crossroads" at the Mann Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, on Feb. 11, 2002. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2003: Singers Britney Spears (left), Madonna and Christina Aguilera perform onstage during the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall on August 28, 2003, in New York City. (Scott Gries/Getty Images)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2004: Singer Britney Spears and husband Kevin Federline arrive at the 2004 Billboard Music Awards on December 8, 2004, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in Las Vegas. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2005: Musicians Britney Spears and Kevin Federline arrive at the 2006 Grammy Nominees party with Kanye West, hosted by Verizon Wireless and Rolling Stone Magazine, at the Avalon Hollywood on February 6, 2005, in Hollywood, California. (Matthew Simmons/Getty Images for Rolling Stone)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2006: Singer Britney Spears and husband Kevin Federline arrive at the Sony BMG Grammy Party held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on February 8, 2006, in Hollywood, California. (Vince Bucci/Getty Images)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2007: Singer Britney Spears performs on stage during the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards held at The Palms Hotel and Casino on September 9, 2007, in Las Vegas. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2008: Singer Britney Spears performs during the Bambi Awards 2008 Show on November 27, 2008, in Offenburg, Germany. (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2009: Singer Britney Spears arrives at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards held at Gibson Amphitheatre on August 9, 2009, in Universal City, California. (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2010: Singer Britney Spears and Jason Trawick arrive at the 52nd annual Grammy Awards held at Staples Center on January 31, 2010, in Los Angeles. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2011: Singers Britney Spears and Rihanna perform onstage during the 2011 Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 22, 2011, in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images for ABC)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2012: TV personality Kim Kardashian, honoree Sir Richard Branson and singer Britney Spears attend Clive Davis and the Recording Academy's 2012 Pre-Grammy Gala and Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Richard Branson held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 11, 2012, in Beverly Hills, California. (Larry Busacca/Getty Images For The Recording Academy)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2013: In this handout photo provided by the LA Dodgers, Britney Spears poses with sons Jayden James Federline (left) and Sean Preston Federline during a game against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on April 17, 2013, in Los Angeles. (Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers via Getty Images)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2014: Singer Britney Spears (right) and cast members from the "Jubilee" show attend a "Britney Day" event at The LINQ Promenade held to celebrate Spears' Las Vegas residency show "Britney: Piece of Me" on November 5, 2014, in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2015: Musician Iggy Azalea and musician Britney Spears attend the 2015 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 17, 2015, in Las Vegas. (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2016: Singer Britney Spears performs at the Jingle Ball 2016 on December 2, 2016, in Los Angeles. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2017: Singer Britney Spears attends Pre-Grammy Gala and Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Debra Lee at the Beverly Hilton on February 11, 2017, in Los Angeles. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2018: Honoree Britney Spears attends the 29th annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 12, 2018, in Beverly Hills, California. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Photos: Britney Spears through the years 2019: Britney Spears and Sam Asghari attend Sony Pictures' "Once Upon A Time ... in Hollywood" Los Angeles Premiere on July 22, 2019, in Hollywood, California. (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
In late June, Jamie Lynn Spears spoke publicly for the first time about her sister’s lengthy conservatorship battle.
“The only reason I hadn’t before is because I felt like until my sister was able to speak for herself and say what she felt she needed to say publicly, that it wasn’t my place and it wasn’t the right thing to do, but now that she’s very clearly spoken and said what she needed to say, I feel like I can follow her lead and say what I feel I need to say,” she said in a video posted to Instagram.
“I don’t care if she wants to run away to a rainforest and have zillion babies in the middle of nowhere, or if she wants to come back and dominate the world the way she has done so many times before, because I have nothing to gain or lose either way. This situation does not affect me either way because I’m only her sister who’s only concerned about her happiness,” Jamie Lynn Spears added.