Portraits for a Cause

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I am literally sitting here in my living room with the tv on news channel 4 listening to the updates since Hurricane Sandy this past Monday. Even my boyfriend (who’s working from home while his office tries to restore power) just turned to me and said “I feel like every day the reports get worse and worse about the devastation of this storm”.

I agree.

Not beyond my wildest dreams did I imagine the storm would do so much destruction. On Monday evening I sat here in my Queens apartment listening to the whirling winds outside without even a clue of the destruction it was wreaking in Manhattan, parts of the Jersey shore, and even worse Staten Island.  Days later since the storm, the reports keep coming in about storm related deaths and those people who are without homes left stunned wondering how to pick up the pieces of their lives.

I recognize how incredibly fortunate I am to be sitting here with working electricity, food in the refrigerator, and a warm bed to lay in at night.  I recognize how many people out there aren’t as lucky.

I watch the news as reporters interview homeowners standing in front of rubble of what used to be their home. Soaken teddy bears and broken picture frames laying on the ground covered in mud.

Part of me feels so helpless. I can’t even imagine the despair they must be going through. So I started researching volunteer centers and evacuation shelters that could possibly use my help to start rebuilding and help uplift others to move forward through this. I scanned my heart for the answers that felt good to my soul. And then I realized how I'd like to help.

For the next week every portrait or headshot session you book with me, I will be donating a portion of the sale to the Red Cross in support of Hurricane Sandy victims.

Here is the breakdown:
  • Portrait Sessions @ $450, 20% to Red Cross..................$90 goes to Red Cross
  • Headshot Sessions @ $175, 15%  to Red Cross..........$26.25 goes to Red Cross

It doesn’t seem like much but at least 5 portrait sessions could mean a $450 donation to the Red Cross. Every little bit helps.
Photo Credit: Unknown

November marks the month of gratitude and I have so much to be thankful for. Hurricane Sandy helped me to realize that.

So if you want to join me in this effort of giving, please sign up for one of my Portraits for a Cause Sessions below.


Photo Sessions


 
With Love & Light,

Ariane

 

Call To Action | The Girl Effect

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Everytime I see this video, I cry.

 

I first learned about the Girl Effect last year.  It was during a time that I was exploring the idea of becoming more socially consciousness and was considering partnering AHP with a charitable organization.  I searched the web looking for causes that I could relate to and resonated the most strongly with my heart.  I’ve always been a huge animal lover so the ASPCA became a viable option.  And on the other hand, I watched cancer come into my grandmother’s life and ravage her world until the day she died.  So joining a cancer organization was very high on my list as well.  Then I came across the Girl Effect.  An organization that believes that the solution to ending poverty in developing nations, lies in investing in the education of adolescent girls.  Young girls in developing nations are often deprived of receiving a solid education, which typically leads to them marrying young, being subject to spousal abuse, and unable to mobilize themselves or their community.  But when they are educated these girls are more likely to grow into women that are better able to support their family, marry later, and foster the growth of the community.  The goal of the Girl Effect is to equip and empower young girls of developing nations. 

Take a look at this:

  • One out of seven girls in developing countries will marry before age 15.  38% before the age of 18.
  • A survey in India found that girls who marry before age 18 were twice as likely to report being beaten, slapped or threatened by their husbands.
  • 75% of 15-24 year olds living with HIV in Africa are female.  And that percentage is increasing every year.

After reading these statistics something automatically clicked within me.  In that moment I knew the Girl Effect was something I wanted to be a part of and help in anyway I could.  But after the reality of this unsettling problem set in, I became disenchanted. I shut down, felt overwhelmed, and wondered how one person at AHP could possibly make a difference.  

That was last year, and today those stats I mentioned above are still very real and will not improve if they are ignored.  Today, I’m ready to do what I know in my heart is the right thing and I hope that you will join me.  By simply spreading the word about the idea behind the Girl Effect can bring more awareness to the problem and create lasting change.

Here’s how you can help! 

On October 4th – 11th join me and many other bloggers that will be blogging about the Girl Effect. Blogging about the Girl Effect is a great chance to connect with other bloggers and share your blog with other communities all while bringing attention to this amazing cause.

You can sign up HERE to get started.  If you need help on writing your post, check HERE for some awesome tips.

“Whatever you do, even if it is small, you will see a brighter future.” – Shumi, Bangladesh

 

See Beauty...

Ariane