Category Archives: Community/organization awareness

A Little Girl’s Mission | Apples for Haiti Orphans

Posted in Community/organization awareness, Destinations, events, Kids, Personal | Tagged , , , , on

Hey everyone just wanted to share this with you.  My nephew and his mom just went on a missions trip to Haiti to work at an orphanage.  My great niece sensed such an urgency to help these kids that she started her own fundraiser.  I am so touched and proud of her and her giving heart.  What a great way to show the love of Christ and for her to see that SHE can make a difference in someone’s life no matter how big you are.  Read below to hear more from her and if you can help her please contact them below for where you can send your donations.  Below is also some photos of her dad helping at the orphanage, and Bailey.  She’s the little blonde :) Last if you would like to leave Bailey a note of encouragement please feel free to do below.

 

Hello,

My name is Bailey Grace Eden, 6 years old, and I would like to help the children in Haiti.  I am asking for your help in raising money to help buy apples for the orphans.  Apples are very rare and the kids will love them.  I want to help so they can be happier and not be hungry.    My grandma told me that some kids don’t have any food and they eat dirt.  I would really like you to help me so they don’t have to eat dirt.

For one week I am going to read books and would like you to make a pledge to support my reading in effort to raise money for the children.   Please make a per page pledge that I will read in my Level  1 learn to read books.  Thank you very much for helping me raise money for the children in Haiti.

Name of Supporter:   _____________________________________________________

Your contact info  (email/phone):_____________________________________________

Pledge amount per page read:  _____________________________________________

Or designated donation:     _________________________________________________

I will be reading from Wednesday, February 8th-Tuesday February 14th.

 

A note from Bailey’s parents:

Our daughter has such a heart for the children of Haiti.  Her grandma and her dad have just returned from a 10 day mission trip.  Since their return, her passion has grown immensely.  She has such a sense of urgency in raising money to help feed the orphans in Torbeck.  She stated that she wants to send some right away to help out until she can raise more.  I ask you to help support my 6 year old in following her heart and living out her love for Christ by helping the less fortunate.

When I asked her what her goal is she said, $1000.  There is a team going to the orphanage on Feb 20th.  Bailey has a strong desire to send the money that she raises down with this team.

Please email your pledges to Amanda Eden at anjohns782@aol.com   or contact them via a message on facebook

https://www.facebook.com/amanda.johns.eden

https://www.facebook.com/edensco

For more information regarding the orphanage visit: http://www.childrenofisraelorphanage.org/

Thank you.

New Orleans | Pictage Partnercon 2010

Posted in Community/organization awareness, Personal, PUG on

I had the pleasure of attending Pictage’s Partnercon held in New Orleans this year.  I was so excited since I missed it last year.  This is always a great time to meet up with friends from around the country, make new ones, and to talk with others about the photography industry.  It is usually one of the highlights of my year.  This year I was able to take part in the free family portraits for victims of Hurricane Katrina, where many of these people lost all of their photographs.  I wish I could of stayed longer but what a site to see 100′s of photographers unload with cameras ready to go. In an odd since they looked like a bunch of commandos ready for battle. It was an amazing feeling that so many wanted to help and give of their talents freely.

The city is so full of wonder especially the French quarter where we stayed.  It truly the personality of Jekyll and Hyde.  By day it is filled with history, quietness, beauty, and a true feeling of nostalgia with the scents of chickory coffee and beignets fill the air.  At night it is loud, neon colors everywhere, wild (an understatement), and the smell of alcohol pours out of everywhere.  The two things that stay true both day and night are the amazing food and the sounds of jazz.  My favorite thing was walking the streets and finding the treasures of the city. We laughed as we left the city we came along this sign at the airport.  I travel a lot and this was the first time I ever saw this.  They must sell a lot of snow globes.

Boudoir for Boobies| Help the fight against breast cancer

Posted in Boudoir "Girly" Sessions, Community/organization awareness on

It’s  back our second annual “Boudoir for Boobies”.   We will be honoring women who have been inflicted with breast cancer by donating a $100 from each Boudoir session booked in October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Honor a friend, relative, or just women in general who have bared cancer treatment by baring a little (or alot) of yourself.  This year all donations will be going to The Triple Negative foundation in honor of one of my brides who passed away this summer from breast cancer.  Her story is amazing and she fought this disease with such courage and determination.  She was an amazing person full of life and laughter and lived by the motto of “Smile”. My words can’t even describe her fight but she blogged everything from start to finish on her blog.  Read about her journey in her own words by clicking here.

To find out more about our boudoir sessions and how you can help the fight please contact me directly at 408-402-3709 or via e-mail at info@jilljohnsonphotography.com

If you would like to see other photos of Kelly please type in  Alvernaz or Kelly and Manny in the search box above on top of this blog post.   Uncomfortable with doing a boudoir session?  You can still donate to the Triple Negative Foundation directly.  Also, if you mention Kelly when booking a children or family sitting I’ll donate a proceed from each of those sittings  in her memory.

Two for One Children’s Smiles!| Operation Smile

Posted in Baby/Maternity, Community/organization awareness, High School Seniors, Kids on

Each year nearly 200,000 children are born with severe cleft conditions-often making them unable to eat, speak, socialize, or smile.  In some places they are even shunned and rejected. Life is hard enough as a child when  you look normal.  Maybe kids mad fun of your hair, freckles, braces, glasses, or weight.  Whatever the case can you imagine how it hard it would be with a facial deformity?  It breaks my heart and if your a parent how would you feel if you never saw your child smile.  A smile from my kids can make my whole day. You might be asking How can I help? You can help a child with their smile by commissioning me to capture the smile of your child.  In September a proceed from each sitting will be donated to Operation Smile, two smiles for the price of one.  Since 1982 Operation Smile is a great organization that helps heal thousands of children each year with facial deformities.   These medical professionals donate their time in over 50 countries world wide.  Many parents can’t afford to pay for the surgery themselves and that is where this organization is in much need.  Because of the dedicated medical teams free surgeries have been supplied so that children can live a better quality of life.  To find out more about Operation Smile click here and see what your donation can do to help these kids. You don’t have a child you want photographed that’s ok.  You can donate to Operation Smile by clicking here.

Flamingo’s Food Drive and Mixer was a success

Posted in Community/organization awareness, events, Family, Flamingo, For Photographers, Kids, PUG, Vendors on

Thanks to so many of you who helped make Flamingo’s Food Drive for the Second Harvest Food Bank a success. Fun was held by all as we enjoyed a fantastic summer night and raised enough funds and food to help feed about 800 children in Santa Clara County and surrounding areas. Great music was supplied by Ron Grandia, A Different Kind of DJ, and dessert was by by Rachel Myers of Sweet Tooth Confections. I think her Red Velvet pops were devoured before I even knew they were there. Potluck was so much fun as we learned who likes to cook, who doesn’t, and well who was just lazy like me and brought Bucca’s :) . Bounce house, three legged races, and the sack race were just a few of the things that had people literally laughing on the ground. Meeting everyone’s spouses, kids, and dogs was so enjoyable. Many of us read about them all the time on blogs or facebook but great to meet them in person. I’m so blessed to have such great and FUN friends in the industry who knows how life is supposed to be enjoyed. People are already requesting we do it again next year. What do you think?