The Way It Is In Rhode Island

Below are just a few of the faces of people in need, many homeless, most hungry. These pictures were made in the  Mathewson Street Methodist Church hall in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. The large room is filled with men and women at long tables, waiting for the morning meal. They are being served up a hearty breakfast of porridge, sausage, eggs, and home fries by an army of volunteers. There’s a big coffee urn but no buffet line. They are being served their meal with dignity. I met and photographed both the church volunteers and the recipients of this meal on two successive Sunday mornings. It was an real eye opening experience, almost surreal. I found the old church by following the long line of people heading down Mathewson Street. There were so many, some so young, and others so old. So many women. I had no idea of the need. When Scott Budnick and Pastor Jack Jones invited me to visit, I expected to find maybe fifty or sixty people, instead I found hundreds, many just like me but for bad luck, addiction or illness. The room was bursting with hungry people. It makes one thankful…

I arrived at Pastor Jack’s breakfast by following a trail of volunteers that help “food insecure” Rhode Islanders. I began my journey at the Food Pantry in Peace Dale, then to the Rhode Island Food Bank, then the Master Gardeners plot at URI and on to the Potato Peelers at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Kingston, with other stops along the way. (Pictures of these good people and some they serve can be found in earlier entries in my blog.)

Driving home, I had many questions. Why so many? Where do these people sleep? How do they get by in the winter? What happens when the shelters fill? What do they do when they get sick or run out of medicine? How do they get around? And the big question, “Why is there such poverty in our state?” I haven’t any answers but maybe I can raise awareness of this acute need with my camera. Please help by sharing this post with your fiends. Thank you.

To see a short movie at the Sunday Friendship Breakfast go here.

Filling empty bowls.

Thanks to the good folks who volunteered for the Jonnycake Center in Peace Dale, Rhode Island, and the delicious vegetable soup from Belmont Market, the Empty Bowl fundraiser was a huge success. Many thanks to all who lent a hand! The way it was...

More photos here.

The Peelers

This is the way it was at the Good Shepard Lutheran Church last night. These are some of the  "Peelers" who help feed the hungry. These potatos end up as home fries at a Sunday breakfast for homeless people in Providence. The volunteers I photographed are yet another example of people helping people.

More on the hunger issue here.

Click to enlarge Thumbnails... 

The way Abby was yesterday, for her birthday.

Abby The Angel

Abby The Angel

Time flies. Here's Abby way back in 2004 and this summer. Suddenly she is a teenager, transformed in the blink of an eye. She is an A student, awesome athlete, and great kid. I'm lucky to have her, my oldest granddaughter. along with 7 other wonderful grandkids! It's real crazy when we get together.

Back to school with new backpacks from the Jonnycake Center

Volunteers at the Jonnycake Center help happy kids get off to a good start by providing brand new back packs and lots of school supplies. Pictured here are volunteers Yasmin, Evan, and siblings Callie and Tim stuffing the backpacks with school supplies. On site in the back lot, Mike distributes bags to parents and kids. Further along, Josh and Glen hand out books to the children. Once again the teen volunteers help make the Jonnycake go, doing good things in the community. Click to enlarge thumbs and be sure to share on Facebook.

The Way It Was in Fall River yesterday.

The good folk of Fall River, Ma, hosted The Great Feast Of The Holly Ghost yesterday on a perfect summer day. The Bodo de Leite and Ethnographic Parade ran from the Gates of the City to Kennedy Park. It was a delightful display of Portuguese pride. Sweet bread and milk was distributed to all present, in honor of the Holy Spirit. Needless to say, the wine also flowed and Chiorizo sandwiches were everywhere. These are a gentle and hardworking people celebrating their heritage.

Again, I used my "Nifty Fifty" millimeter lens on my Canon D6, Aperture preferred, set to F/5.6 for all. The camera is light and relatively unobtrusive, very good for street photography. The focal length means I had to zoom with my feet. To some photographers this is scary because it means you have to get close. But closer is often better. (Robert Capa's quote comes to mind, "If your pictures aren't good enough, you aren't close enough.") Well, I was pretty close. I could smell the sausage cooking and almost felt as if I was in the parade, not just an observer. I do like the look of these images and would appreciate your comments.

Click to see more, and please "share" if you like.

The way it was at the Washington County Fair

Joe and I shot the Washington County Fair on Friday afternoon. It was a perfect day, and the place was humming, rides, animals, and especially the people. Boys meeting girls, old folks, 4 H kids, etc, etc. It was a street photographer's paradise. I used my old Canon 50 mm F/1.8 lens, (too cheap to buy the f/1.4). It was the first time I had done any street photography with this lens, in the past I relied on either my tele zoom or the wide angle zoom, both of which are fine but yield different results. The 50 necessitates getting closer, and it has a different point of view. Shooting at f/4 means you have shallow depth of field, and nice bokeh which is a double edged sword. Lots out of focus but I managed to nail some too.These remind me of my pictures from the 60's, with the NikonF that was built like a tank. I really like the look of these but I am glad I'm using a digital camera with Lightroom. Couldn't have done it as well had I been using film. I would have been in the darkroom for days, and would never been able to explore the many possibilities, or tweak like I have done with these. Below, two favorites, and if you care to see more go here:

http://www.armorphoto.com/wash-co-fair

The Way It Was— Giving and Receiving

 As I continue to meet and photograph people on both sides of this project, I am beginning to really appreciate the hunger crisis. It is real, and deserves our attention.

I saw the giving and receiving again yesterday. First, I photographed the Master Gardeners at East Farm as they harvested their plants. These veggies are destined for Jonnycake’s Food Pantry and elsewhere, fresh produce that eventually winds up on someone’s dining room table. 

Pictured here are Master Gardeners Colleen, Liz, Sally, Martha, Sue, Judy, Pam, Karen and Pat and also two teen volunteers at the pantry, Portia and Yasmin. These volunteers are all making a difference. I also photographed a few of the folks who are on the receiving end of this food. They will be serving it up to their families tonight and throughout the week. They are glad to have it.

This continues to be an eye-opening  experience for me. There is a real need. This is a Rhode Island and nationwide crisis. Click to enlarge the thumbnails, and please share this post on your Facebook and Twitter pages.


Another way to give...

 I visited a lush "Giving Garden" today and photographed some of the Master Gardeners and volunteers who tend it. The focus is on learning, but much of the produce harvested is donated to various food pantries including Jonnycake in Peace Dale. These vegetables help feed the hungry,  yet another example of people helping people. Click to enlarge and be patient...

People helping people,,,, again!

Volunteers from Opportunities Unlimited at the RI Food Bank, pitching in, sorting the donated potatoes that will eventually help feed hungry Rhode Islanders. Click to enlarge the thumbnails.

The way it was at the Healthy Harvest

I was very surprised yesterday when I went over to photograph "Healthy Harvest" at the Jonnycake Center. I just did not expect to find so many people waiting in line to get fruit and vegetables at the Center's farmers market. I truly did not appreciate the need, but here it was right in front of me on a warm summer day in Peace Dale, Rhode Island. I saw  an outstanding group of staff and volunteers distributing healthy produce to folks who looked like they appreciated getting it. It gives me hope that there are still plenty of people out there lending a helping hand to folks who need it.

People helping people... click on the thumbnails below to enlarge.

People helping people... click on the thumbnails below to enlarge.

The way it is in Rhode Island

This is the way it is in Rhode Island in 2014… lots of people going hungry. We have a problem. There is a real need for food assistance here in our little state.

This need is at the highest level on record. These are children, the elderly and the working poor who are going hungry. They are not so sure where they will get their next meal. They need our help.

Luckily, the good folks at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank are answering the call. The staff and the many volunteers provide food to people in need. Until I visited recently, I was only dimly aware that this organization existed. I did not really appreciate the scope of their mission and what they do. I was amazed. 

These are the faces of some of the many people who volunteer there. In order of appearance, Dottie Villani, Lillian Farland, Michael Marandola, Bill and Judi Nievera,  Tom and Diane Bradley, Roland Cherella and Ruth Balzano.  Also pictured is staffer Mark Shackelford other faces at the Food Bank.  Many have been lending a hand for many years. These are the men and women who are making a difference in Rhode Island. Click to enlarge thumbnails and slide down to see the RI Food Bank slide show.

The Rhode Island Food Bank is the place where 9.9 million pounds of food is distributed throughout our state. It goes to 178 member agencies, like The Jonnycake Center, in Wakefield. The need for food assistance remains at near record-high levels. The Food Bank is currently serving 63,000 people per month through its statewide network of food pantries. That’s nearly double the number of people served in 2007, before the recession, when the Food Bank was serving 33,000.

When a solicitation comes in the mail asking for a small donation, think of these pictures and don't throw the envelope in the trash. 

Below a slide show of theRI Food Bank. It is impressive, very well organized and immaculately clean. The staff and volunteers are dedicated. Their reach is state wide and many faceted. Take a look.

The Way It Was At The Gay Parade

Ron and I shoot at the Boston Gay Parade last Saturday. It was quite a celebration, and a street photographer's delight!.

You can see a selection of photos here: http://www.armorphoto.com/bostongay

Thousands of people marched and danced through the city’s streets for the 44th Boston Pride parade and festival, a colorful and upbeat gathering of the region’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities.

Organizers said a record 25,000 people in 200 groups marched in the annual parade, which was led by Governor Deval Patrick and Mayor Martin J. Walsh and ended with a festival on City Hall Plaza.

Groups in the parade included bands, advocacy groups, university clubs, churches, and even corporations and political candidates — a sign of Pride’s shift from a fringe demonstration to a mainstream, family-oriented staple of Boston’s event calendar and marker of an ongoing sea change in public opinion on gay issues.


 

Thayer Street on Saturday, June 7th, 2014

A portrait from our “Ephemeral Moments” Street Photography, last in the series of workshop with my friends Eric Hovermale and Chris Alvanas. Here is a slice of life on Thayer Street, Providence, RI. Along with the photos I will soon post from the students, I've posted my B&W and color on "Jan on Thayer". So here is my take on what it looked like there, a testament to our times. 

She said, "I want to be a photographer someday." I said, "You can."

The photographs were made with a Canon 6D, 17 to 105mm lens. The camera was set to ISO 800 on a bright sunny day, aperture priority mode,  f/11. Multipoint autofocus was on. Lots of depth of field, fast shutter  speed. Simple…. nothing to think about but the moment. We met many nice folks.Students switched off and had a chance to work with each of us. I shot both portraits like this one of Sarah and fleeting moments when my subjects were unaware they were having their picture made. I handed out many business cards and promised anyone who responds to send them a photo, and I will. All were processed in Adobe Lightroom.

The way it was on the incoming tide.

I returned to Camp Cronin again last night to capture the lovely smooth (female) rock formation on the shore using the long exposure technique we shared in our Saturday workshop "At the Water's Edge". 

Ann's way... Irish Eyes That Smile

Ann Sullivan delivers not only meals for her elderly charges, but also a caring smile and a quick chat. She has been a volunteer for Southern Rhode Island Volunteers for many years. The appreciative looks and thanks from the folks who receive her meals is telling. Ann truly makes a difference. Click to enlarge.

More helping hands

“Many hands make light work.”

More helpers make a task easier. At Jonnycake Center Elke Blumstein, a volunteer since 2010, and Margaret Driscoll, a helper since 2007, are pictured at work. They are part of a group that sorts,tags and organizes the steady stream of clothing and household items that are donated by their Wakefield neighbors for sale in the store. Christen helps at the register while Sandy keeps everyone laughing. Click to enlarge.

The Way it was in Death Valley

Beautiful sunrises, beautiful sunsets, and hot, hot, hot. This shot my take on Stove Pipe Wells. Death Valley was a fine excursion, could have stayed longer. Back in Palm Springs now for a last little R&R, and should be home tomorrow. The temp here yesterday was 94 degrees. We are thinking it will be hard to readjust with RI in the fifties. Ugh. 

Marilyn Is Coming Apart At The Seams.

How appropriate, Marilyn is coming undone... again. They are cutting her, all 32,000 pounds of her, and shipping her to New Jersey for an art show. City fathers are hoping they can get this famous landmark back to Palm Springs but there are a lot of other places who want her in their town square.

Here they are cutting her up for the big move.

Joshua Tree National Park

Did Joshua again this trip. A short ride from Palm Springs,  through a forest of wind turbines, but very worth the (pricey) gasoline. It was busy at the park on Sunday. Lot's of tourists like us, and the rock climbers. I'm told this is one of the best places for climbing. We saw many, tiny specks way up on the sides of the impossibly sheer sides of boulders. Definitely not my sport, now or not even when I was 23.

View from Interstate 10