Volunteer Faces

Over the past couple of weeks, I had the privilege of photographing some volunteers from the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless.  The Shelter is a key component of the homeless community, providing meals and overnight shelter in winter months.  It provides support services to the homeless in Boulder throughout the year.

Through the outstanding help of Gina Barajas, the Shelter's Volunteer Manager, I was connected with Jon and Deborah Davis, and Joe Pickett.  Jon and Deborah have volunteered for years in the Shelter's kitchen to prepare and serve meals.  Joe volunteers with Boulder County Cares and with other organizations that serve the homeless.  Boulder County Cares is the street outreach program of the Boulder Shelter.  BCC volunteers canvass the community every winter evening, distributing blankets, gloves, hats, and other warm clothing, and providing food to unsheltered homeless people who are living on the streets.

This is the photograph of Jon and Deborah, taken in the kitchen of the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless.

Saturday Morning by the Creek

Joy Eckstine, Elle and I met yesterday for another of our morning photo expeditions. Our goal was to capture about five photographs of Boulder's homeless. We came away with three pictures and agreements for stories to be told after an enjoyable couple of morning hours along Boulder Creek.

Different from our visits to Pearl Street Mall, the Boulder Library and the Band Shell, yesterday we toured Boulder Creek - the location of the inspiration for this project. (See the early blog posts for that background.)  Turns out that a higher percentage of the homeless population on the creek early in the morning are less inclined to be photographed than those where we have earlier worked.  That's the reason that we had hoped for five participants and getting only three.  It wasn't because Joy didn't greet her friends along the creek!

While there will be three interesting stories coming from the two morning hours along Boulder Creek between the library and the Justice Center, I'll introduce one of them here.

I photographed Mark and Elle interviewed him. Mark just arrived in Boulder a couple of days ago after having traveled from Alaska and Texas.  To help him carry his possessions, Mark has designed an attachment for his backpack to which he can lash bags of clothing.  The attachment has wheels so that it can be towed when Mark is walking.  Mark believes the idea is worthy of a patent.

A memorial to Mark's mother can be found at the San Jose Rose Garden.  She started the nation's largest food bank during a career that included work in a circus (as a lion tamer!) and sheltering indigent women that could not qualify for public assistance.  As a testimony to his mother's passion for others, Mark wants to do work that somehow helps the homeless while he stays in Boulder.

Terri at the Library

Had a quick portrait session with Terri at the Boulder Library yesterday. Thanks to Tomas deMers, a writer with the Denver Voice (www.denvervoice.org) for connecting us.

Terri's history includes playing violin professionally in concert settings in Boulder and San Francisco.  However, when her locker at the Boulder Shelter was cleaned out according to schedule a couple of years ago, and Terri wasn't present, her violin was discarded.

She is no longer homeless and has an apartment. Terri works with the arts program at the Carriage House.

Terri is in the process of writing her story. Like the stories of so many others, I am very eager to read it.

Two New Faces

Yesterday I met two new friends at the intersection of homelessness and mainstream.  I photographed Lisa Morzel in the Boulder City Council Chambers, and I photographed Anna Maria Pirone in her Stand Up for Kids facility.

A longtime resident of Boulder, Lisa has been a member of the Boulder City Council for years.  Starting in 1995 and continuing through today, with time away from the Council from 2003 - 2007, Lisa has represented Boulder citizens with a particular focus on environmental, social and economic issues.  When not working on city business, Lisa is a Research Geologist for USGS.  She has a particular awareness and knowledge of homelessness.  Sharon Monroe is Lisa's writer.  What an inspirational story Lisa has to tell via Sharon!

I then walked from the city Municipal building at 1777 Broadway to the Masonic Lodge at 2205 Broadway and the basement facility of Stand Up for Kids.  SUFK leases the space from the Lodge in order to help homeless and street kids.  As part of the national SUFK organization, the Boulder program focuses volunteers' passion for kids through food drives, street outreach, counseling, and providing a safe environment for kids without homes.

Anna is Executive Director of Boulder's Stand Up for Kids program. Her story is being written by Beth Bartel.  While I haven't yet seen her story, Beth has a wonderful opportunity to capture Anna's passion for kids, and Anna's amazing story of challenges while growing up in New York.

Here's a photograph of Anna Maria Pirone.

A Surprise Opportunity

Yesterday, I met Jade Beaty at Naropa University's Alan Ginsburg library.  Jade is now, as she has often been, between lodging locations.  Generally, she stays with friends in homes that are compatible with Jade's chemical sensitivities.  Jade works in the Denver/Longmont area and is an Intimacy Consultant through her business, Sensual Wisdom.  She's applying to become a student at Naropa.  Although she doesn't believe that she is very photogenic, I am quite pleased with yesterday's photograph of Jade.

After wrapping up at Naropa, I stopped by Zing Hair Style on Spruce Street to visit with Joy Douglas, Zing's owner.  Formerly homeless, Joy is now a local businessperson.  I photographed Joy a couple of weeks ago but did not have a model release card at that time.  Yesterday's visit was to get Joy's signature on the release card.  I'm also happy to have provided a digital file of that photograph to Joy for her use on Zing's website.

While in the area, I stopped by the Carriage House Community table to connect with Joy Eckstine, its Executive Director.  After a conversation about a tragic and senseless hit-and-run fatality involving a Carriage House guest and member of Boulder's homeless population, I was introduced to "Paul" and learned of his willingness to be included in our project.  It was a surprise to connect with Paul and have the opportunity for an unexpected photograph.  But, my years of working in sales whispered to me to take Paul's photograph now despite an afternoon of commitments, rather than trying to schedule time with Paul for some point in the future -- some time that might be more convenient for me.

Paul is a long-time Boulder resident although his college years were spent in Santa Cruz, California.  Paul's contact information will be firmed-up with access to email and a phone number in a few days. Until then, I have only a photograph and assurance from Paul that he has a VERY interesting story.  I'm sure that one of our writers will relish spending time with Paul and hearing what he has to say!

Here is "Paul's" photograph, taken just across the parking lot from the Carriage House.

Saturday Morning Photos & Stories

Yesterday morning, Elle and I joined Joy and Chad of the Carriage House, and writers Curtine Metcalf and Cheri Hoffer to find homeless people that would like their stories told.  After planning our objectives at the Carriage House, we made a beeline to the Boulder Band Shell - a part of Boulder's Central Park - where many of Boulder's homeless congregate.  (See the post of 12/21/10 for photos of and at the Band Shell.)

Near or at the Band Shell, we met with four currently homeless people and captured their photographs.  Curtine and Cheri partnered with three of the homeless for interviews.  One of the homeless men that we photographed wants to write his own story -- fulfillment of a longstanding desire to tell young people of his mistakes in a way that will encourage them to choose another path.

While we were at the Band Shell a small group of volunteers, possibly from Naropa, brought pots of warm soup and clothing to distribute.  Shortly after that, a Boulder Police officer arrived to enforce laws against distributing food without a permit.  One assumes that the intention of the laws is good - to prevent someone from knowingly or unknowingly giving "bad" food to others. But, as one of the homeless people said, "Don't they know that most of us have eaten food from dumpsters."

As our morning was finishing, Elle and I received a request from Joy.  A local salon owner, formerly homeless, would like to tell her story.  So, we stopped by the Boulder salon, set up our lights and captured the portrait. Jennifer Sleek-Klevdal will interview this entrepreneur.

One of our participants, Hope, has a service dog named Baby.  Hope says that she rescued Baby and that Baby now rescues her.  I am eager to read Curtine's story about Hope and Baby.  That's the portrait of Hope and Baby, to the left.

Back from Travel

After being on the road for a couple of weeks, I was happy to return to our project today.

The morning started with a Rotary club meeting and a quick update on the project. (Very well received by Niwot Rotary members who are supportive of our vision and efforts!)

Then, off for an initial meeting with Travis Railey, Development & Marketing Director at the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless (www.BoulderShelter.org).  The Boulder Shelter is a huge part of the homeless landscape in Boulder and Travis was kind to spend a half hour with me to introduce the various services housed in and operated through the Shelter.  Based on that conversation, we're hoping to arrange an interview with a volunteer for Boulder County Cares.  This interview will help tell the story of the street outreach program of the Shelter that utilizes trained volunteers to canvass the community every winter evening, distributing blankets, gloves, hats, and other warm clothing, and providing food to unsheltered homeless people who are living on the streets.

We would also like to interview a long-time Shelter volunteer who serves meals to the homeless.  Such volunteer insight to the interface between the homeless and mainstream population would be excellent. Also excellent would some insight into how over 83,000 hot meals are prepared and served by the Shelter to homeless folks each year - at a cost of less than a dime each!

Then, I was fortunate to join Michelle Weiner-Davis at the Starbucks on University Hill. Michelle was completing her interview of Cassie Gedbaw, Coordinator of the CU chapter of the Colorado Public Interest Research Group. Cassie is passionate about serving the less fortunate and educating the University's students about homelessness.  One's hope for the future is bolstered when hearing of the selfless work of Cassie and her peers.  I'm eager to read the story that Michelle will write.

My morning finished with a portrait session with Cassie at the east end of Varsity Lake on the CU campus.  She's a lovely lady.  Wouldn't you agree?