From Charity Dunlap, Suffolk, VA:

One of our first participants was an elderly couple that were celebrating their first Christmas together. As they were leaving, they told one of the volunteers how appreciative they were of us, and how meaningful their photograph was, because they were not able to afford to have their pictures taken together.

When you take the time to step outside yourself, focus your attention on somebody else, the humbling and fulfilling feeling is beyond words. Knowing that something as simple as a photograph can have such an impact in someone else’s life is so incredible. Being someone who, in their childhood, did not have the opportunity to have professional portraits taken of my family, this event reminded me how valuable of a gift a portrait is. I am humbled to know that I was used as a vessel to show Jesus love to those in my community who are often overlooked and forgotten.