On 12-12-09 6,500 photographers and volunteers will be participating in a movement world wide.
The Mission is Simple!
1) Find Someone in Need
2) Take Their Picture
3) Print their portrait
4) Deliver their portrait
The Orlando Help Portrait Group has teamed up with the Coalition to provide portraits for over 350 of Orlando's homeless. To date we have about 80 photographers, makeup and hairstylists, graphic designers, videographers, event planners, runners, assistants, greeters and even a Mr. and Mrs. Santa signed up.
This event is going to be so rewarding and not to just the families that will benefit from the free portraits and makeovers but to all those involved. We have met so many families on our site visits and have so many stories we could share but there simply is not enough room here so we will just share a couple.
I visited the shelter a couple of weeks ago and had the privilege of meeting a little boy named ...for privacy reasons we will call him Jacob. Jacob was only 6 but he swore he was 9 years old :0) He was so excited about the shoot he followed me around asking me questions and telling me that he was going to dress up like Batman for his photo shoot cape and all. He had so many questions that I finally gave him my camera and showed him how to use it. This is what usually happens at charity shoots with children involved as it's the easiest way to get them excited. Well he loved it and before you knew it we were his models he got so involved telling us which way to move and how to fluff our hair that I had a hard time getting my camera back :0) . As I was leaving he gave me a big hug he just did not want to let go. He kept saying you promise you are coming back right ??? Why do I have to wait two weeks???? Even though I kept promising him we would I could almost tell at his very young age he had already had his share of let downs.
I looked down at him and held out my pinky and said pinky promise ( something I always do with my daughter :0)) he said again "why do we have to wait so long" I said "to give you enough time to tell all of your friends and get them excited :0) He gave me one last hug and then watched me as I walked down the corridor...when I got to the end I turned back only to see him holding up his pinky to remind me of my promise. I will never forget that face as long as I live and he is just one of many who are looking forward to our visit in less then 5 days.
I also had the privilege of meeting another lady whom had already heard about Help-Portrait and was very excited about getting a makeover and photoshoot. She is probably in her late 40's and she is going for her masters degree right now and the coalition is giving her the opportunity to go after her dream. She grew up in a shelter and never was adopted so she never really had a place to call home. Years later and here she is again but this time picking up the pieces and putting her life back together. Going for her masters degree you would never know that this tall slender well dressed beautiful articulate and well read women was living in a homeless shelter but that just goes to say "You can never judge a book by it's cover"
I think the faces are changing at the homeless shelters there are several people whom have lost their jobs and they do not have families to call their own to reach out to....Some of them single parents with 3 or 4 kids and it cost more for childcare then they could possibly make on their own. I can not tell you how many times I had to lean on my parents after I moved out at the young age of 18 . Or how much my mom helped when both of my little girls were born. I thank god for my family everyday as they have been a constant and unconditional support system in my life. I think sometimes we forget that not everyone has had it that easy. We forget that some people out there really never have had it easy. From broken and abusive families to know family at all. Can you just imagine for 1 minute that you had no one to spend this Christmas with????
Well on Saturday, December 12th we are hoping to spend the holiday with some new friends. Were going to tell some jokes, share some laughs, listen to some stories, take some pictures and most importantly be present 100% completely in the moment by letting these families know we do care and we are here for them.
We are photographing both the main facility located at on 639 W. Central Blvd Orlando, FL 32801 and the women's facility at 107 East Hillcrest St. Orlando, Fl. (32801) . We are still in need of a printer sponsor to donate the printing of 350 5"x7" prints for this great cause. Angles Art and Frame has donated 100 5"x7" custom frames so far.
If you would like more information about volunteering at the women and children's facility you can email me at misty@mistymiotto.com or if you would like more info about the main campus you can contact Michael Hajek at 321-277-7653.
If anyone would like to join us it's never to late to sign up just go to www.Help-Portrait-Orlando.com and click on the signup page. You do not have to be a photographer to show up anyone is welcome. Also if anyone would like to make donations you can contact the shelter directly by logging on to their website at
http://www.centralfloridahomeless.org/
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