“Wearing two hats” is the way it needs to be.

“Wearing two hats” meant something very different for Keith than it does for me. Breakfast was over and many of the guests were getting ready to leave the church hall. I saw Keith out of the corner of my eye. I was actually trying to make a picture of the dishwasher standing nearby. Keith had just put on one of those dark blue Navy watch caps. Then without hesitation he pulled another one over the first. For a second this seemed strange to me but then “I got it”. This was about survival. When you are on the street it’s about staying warm. This man was preparing for a cold day in Providence. 

Jack Jones, the good pastor of the Mathewson Street United Methodist Church, had just deposited a large donation of clothing on a big table. Men and women were crowded around the pile, sorting through and trying things on. Vincent wheeled in and began hunting for a coat. I asked if I could take his picture and he agreed. He was a big man with a patch over one eye, cheerful in spite of his disability. He told me he was a vet, but he said he didn’t lose his lower left leg in the war and left it at that. He told me he could always use more clothing because “winter was coming.”

As I was leaving the church I noticed an elderly woman with long white hair standing near the stairs. She was wrapped up in a large pink blanket. Her long white hair streamed out of a comical yellow ski cap with a pom-pom on top. I asked if I could take her picture but she politely refused. We chatted a bit and I asked her age by volunteering mine. She smiled and said she was a little younger than me. Maybe, but in any case she, like I, are in the “senior citizen” category. She told me she was homeless. She said this blanket and hat were “to stay warm”. She told me she spent last winter living in a green plastic tent of some sort. I just couldn’t imagine this woman living like this… in  America?

On the way home I reflected on how the homeless people must dread the coming cold. One reads about it every winter as an abstraction… temperature drops, homeless people desperate for a warm place to stay the night, shelters full, etc., etc. Here however, at this church, for these people, staying warm is very real.

I’m thinking I will go through my closet today and see if there are some things I can part with this winter. Jonnycake accepts clothing donations…

This is the way it is at the Mathewson Street Methodist Church.

Pictured at left: "Norman, the man who pours bottomless cups of coffee"

Scott Budnick and his band of merry volunteers are amazing! These good folks at the Sunday Friendship Breakfast “soup kitchen” serve way more than soup. By 6:30 AM the place is humming with sounds of pans banging, knives chopping, potatoes frying and people laughing. The radio is on and some sing along. The spirit of camaraderie and good intention is in the air. They work hard. It’s controlled chaos, maybe even a mini miracle when it all comes out. The troop delivers a hearty breakfast of oatmeal, eggs, home fries, and sausage to hundreds of hungry homeless people. And yes, they also serve up friendship. Not only does this meal provide sustenance but also is an opportunity for human contact and conversation. It is a chance to make friends and talk with the volunteers and among themselves in a safe, warm place. The Sunday Friendship Breakfast has become a refuge for the many homeless men, women and children in Providence, due in no small part to the hard work of these volunteers and Pastor Jack Jones. Click to enlarge photos below and hurray for volunteers.


The Way It Was With Vernon

I met Vernon at the Sunday Friendship Breakfast recently, a place where I have been shooting. (I hope in some small way my photos help to raise awareness of the hunger/homeless problem in RI). He wanted to tell his story, perhaps so others would not go his way. We met a few days later. He was proud that he had a job now, laying floors and installing appliances in a fixer-upper on Princeton Street. He showed me his work, and it was good. We had a sandwich at a fast food place of his choice on Broad Street and he shared a sad story of growing up without much, raised by a single mother in Hartford, CT. His dad was long gone. He began abusing alcohol and drugs as a teen and became an addict and pusher.  Eventually he was arrested and put in prison where he spent many years. After release he had difficulty adjusting, and landed back to jail again. He said he made many mistakes along the way. Fast forward to the present; he has reconciled with his father and found a good woman to love. He is still homeless but hopes to get into subsidized housing soon. Things seem to be looking up for Vernon. But it isn't easy. Below, Vernon while he tells me his story.

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.