For four years now I have been fortunate enough to be involved with Help Portrait. Founded by Jeremy Cowart, also a photographer, the organization currently reports 326,858 portraits given, 62,860 volunteers, 2,411 events in 67 countries. Mind you, these stats do NOT include the new numbers rolling in all across the globe from yesterday’s Help Portrait Worldwide!
As a Help Portrait Site Director, my job is easy, find communities who are in need and fill that need. For two years now we have chosen Youth Uprising located in the heart of East Oakland. YU is a neighborhood hub offering young people services and programs to increase the physical and mental wellbeing, community connection, educational attainment, and career achievement among youth members. To date they have served over 2,075 young persons, 694 young persons were served through their Health & Wellness Program, 375 were placed in internships and received work experience, and 850 guns collected at buy back events!
We had another successful event, but we could and most certainly welcome aboard more volunteers (photographers or not), as well as donations of new or used 5×7 photo frames or folios. We are currently also seeking sponsorship and donations from anything like clerical tools, pens, paper, clipboards, photo printers, print paper. food and water for volunteers, and anything that could assist us in the success of the event and an overall experience participants will cherish.
Here’s a peek into the behind-the-scenes from yesterday. We look forward to the climbing numbers from yesterday and as soon as we have them from Help Portrait, we will share them with our readers.
