Project 365 – Day 129
December 12, 2009
“Help-Portrait, Behind The Scenes”
Finally. After almost three months organizing the NYC event, it happened. The last few days before Help-Portrait were totally insane. So many emails and phone calls to answer, it really became a full time job. Between staffing locations, working with the media and making sure everyone had a well defined role, I didn’t get much time to rest. Then Saturday came, the culmination of so many efforts from such a great group of volunteers. In New York City alone, we had 138 volunteers at 8 locations, some of them in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx.
I was at CCM Wallerstein, in the Bronx. I don’t know how I could sum up the day… it was really great. Great to see people motivated to give their time, talent and expertise for a good cause. Great to see the smiles they put on the faces of the people who had their portraits taken. CNN and CBS covered the event. I actually recommend you watch the stories they made of the day. I took this photograph as CBS’s reporter Manuel Gallegus was delivering his line. In the back, Heraldo Gabriel is taking portraits.
Most importantly, this will not be just a one-time event. While Help-Portrait will probably happen each year from now on, many volunteers have been expressing a strong interest to reiterate its spirit on a more regular basis, which is wonderful. Count me in.
CNN’s coverage: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/US/12/14/photo.shoot.help.portrait/
CBS’s coverage: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5975791n
Daily News article: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/12/06/2009-12-06_fotogs_shoot_picmeup_pix_for_citys_poor.html