On December 10^th, 2011, I will be participating in the 3^rd Annual Worldwide Help-Portrait event. Help- Portrait is an event put on by volunteers, including photographers, editors, and in my case, hairstylists. The idea behind Help-Portrait is simple: 1. Find someone in need 2. Take their portrait 3. Print their portrait and 4. Deliver their portrait. In the last two years, more than 101,000 portraits have been given by 10,000 photographers and 12,000 volunteers. Help-Portrait is now a global movement in more than 1,000 locations in 54 countries.

This year, the founder, celebrity photographer, Jeremy Cowart announced new elements to make Help-Portrait a more hands-on experience for those being photographed. They are being encouraged to share their stories on the back of their portraits. He says the mission of Help- Portrait is to give photos, not take them.

My friend and photographer for the Beaver County Times, Kevin Lorenzi, asked me to help out this year doing makeup and hair touch ups on site at Community Human Services in Oakland. Since last year, a second site has been added at the Pittsburgh Women’s Shelter! It’s amazing how quickly how it has caught on. It is even more amazing to me that something we may think is so simple, getting your photo taken, can make a major difference is somebody’s life. One woman from Nashville’s 2010 Help-Portrait said that her and her brother hadn’t had a picture taken together since they were 7. She had written a letter to the photographers thanking them for bringing her and her brother back together. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity for many.

In today’s day and age, it is easy to take something as simple as a camera, even more so a picture, for granted. I can’t even say how excited I am to participate in this year’s event and share the stories told by the families.For more details or to donate, check out www.help-portrait.com.