Diana Ross did more than 1 thing when she came on stage at Covenant House’s “Night of Broadway Stars” and donated $75,00 to Covenant House International. Joined by more than a dozen homeless teens, Ross acknowledged more than 700 donors in attendance, praising Covenant House staff and lending support to homeless teens.
Ross told the crowd, “Covenant House is a builder of bridges, a place of shelter and hope that truly saves the lives of these beautiful children.”
Here’s to you Diana!
Chloe Noble contacted Do1Thing to let us know about Pride Walk 2009 when Chloe and Jill will begin their walk across America to raise awareness for LGBTQ homeless youth.
Below is their press release. We wish them well!
HOMELESS YOUTH PRIDE WALK 2009
In May, 2009, Jill Hardman and Chloe Michelle Noble are walking across America for LGBTQ homeless youth. They will set out on foot from Seattle, Washington traveling first to San Francisco. They will continue to travel east across the country, to Boston, New York, and then Washington D.C. From there they will continue souththwest to New Orleans and end their long journey in Austin, Texas. Their goal is to cover 6000 miles, (over 3000 of it on foot), to raise awareness about homeless LGBTQ youth in America. Their entire walk will be homeless, which will give them a unique opportunity to film homeless youth all over the United States.
Says Noble, “We are excited for this opportunity to serve those less fortunate in the LGBTQ community. Through this walk we will be a part of something beautiful, powerful, thought-provoking, and meaningful.”
Everyone who is interested can “virtually walk with them” by following their website – which will be loaded with videos, photos, and posts collected on their journey. Others can support Homeless Youth Pride Walk 2009 by simply sharing their link on many popular networking channels. Also, supporters can get current updates by becoming followers of their blog – which includes interactive media tools, such as Google Maps, Twitter, YouTube, and Kyte TV.
“Almost 40% of homeless youth in America identify as LGBTQ,” says Noble, “This diverse group of Queer youth has a profound and powerful voice. We want to support them in their progress and give them a platform to stand on. Studies show that many LGBTQ homeless youth who receive appropriate guidance, support, resources, and encouragement, eventually become successful members of the LGBTQ community. By raising awareness we hope to inspire others to make sure more resources are available to all homeless youth for this reason.”
In the future, Noble and Hardman plan on producing public service announcements with LGBTQ youth in the Utah area, using the footage they bring back from their walk. These PSA’s are intended to launch a multi-media web site, that Queer youth can use to express themselves and empower others through personal, local, national, and international activism. Noble says about the web site, “It is our intention to unify LGBTQ youth through artistic expression, and to teach them how to become mutual mentors in a process of self-awareness and collective healing.”
Hundreds of heart wrenching emails continue to flow in to Do1Thing and many of you are asking how to help. We understand your desire to make a one to one connection with a youth in need and we understand you want 100% of your donation to go to that youth.
WE HEAR YOUR CALL FOR ACTION AND WE ARE MOVED!
Today Do1Thing formed a partnership with the Orphan Foundation of America (OFA) which serves thousands of foster teens across the United States.
WHAT DO THEY DO? They provide “aged out” youth with college scholarships, connecting them with mentors and internships, sending them care packages, testifying before Congress and most importantly, they’re there to help the teens deal with everyday problems that life offers up.
In the coming weeks we’ll introduce you to youth after youth, tell you their needs and ask you to reach out and do1thing. There will be a multitude of things you can choose from including offering or paying for a college scholarship, paying for a youths school books, providing a laptop, giving them spending money, helping with personal needs, offering internships, offering mentoring, just letting them know that they’re not alone in this huge world. You would be amazed to know how many of these youth have NO ONE and the ONLY birthday card they receive is from a staff member at The Orphan Foundation. The only connection they have to a caring voice is someone at the Orphan Foundation. It’s a simple thing but when you have no one, it’s a major boost.
Do1Thing met one to one with The Orphan Foundation team and believes in the work they’re doing.
WHY DID DO 1 THING PARTNER WITH THEM? Many reasons. First, they care and know these teen intimately. They just don’t give out scholarships or send out care packages. They answer everyone of their emails and phone calls. They talk these teens “off the ledge” when they can’t handle the pressures of life and they put them together with mentors who help them with daily struggle. They partner with these teens helping them to a better future not just offering a one time band aid.
Visit their site and stay tuned to meet amazing teens who are overcoming a lifetime of horrendous events. We can make a difference. You and I can make a difference. We can do it 1 thing at a time!
The Newark Bears baseball team reached out to Do1Thing offering to help homeless teens in New Jersey. They did more than just reach out, they offered by homeless teens at Covenant House Newark internships with the Bears organization. Ronald and Ann Marie, both featured in the People Magazine spread on Do1Thing are two of the five teens.
Our sincere thanks to the Bears organization and Patti Webster, ceo of W&W Public Relations who put Do1Thing, Covenant House and the Bears together. The Newark Bears did more than 1 thing, they took a chance by hiring 5 homeless teens and gave them a possibility of a better life.
Will you join us in doing1thing?
Visit the Newark Bears site, tell them they did a great thing, go see one of their ball games, encourage other employers to reach out to do1thing and let’s make a difference!
BRAVO NEWARK BEARS!
Miki Johnson at Live Books posted this article about Do1Thing’s model.
This Valentine’s Day the New Jersey-based non-profit organization Do1Thing officially launched, with a wealth of online visual content designed to raise awareness about homeless teens in the United States. Do1Thing’s website includes images, interviews, and multimedia presentations by more than 130 photojournalists, videographers, editors, writers, and volunteers, including renowned artists such as Nina Berman, Bill Frakes, David Leeson, Ed Kashi, David Hume Kennerly, Martin Schoeller, and Vincent Laforet. Do1Thing founders Najlah Hicks and Pim Van Hemmen partnered with NGOs that address teen homelessness, especially Covenant House, to which they used this stockpile of visual content to drive traffic (and donations). We think this idea of a non-profit serving as a kind of visual consultant for other non-profits has a lot of potential, so we decided to talk to Najlah about their strategy and future goals.
Read the entire story at Resolve at Live Books
The donations kept pouring in until the volunteers finally packed away the donation table out front. Those of us in Houston would like to thank all of our subjects for allowing us to tell their stories, the hard-working staff at Covenant House, all the volunteers, and the countless Houstonians who came out to Do 1 Thing today.
Andres checks out some donated sneakers in a room that was filled to overflowing. It took three rooms like this to handle the outpouring of donations from the community. (Photo by Smiley N. Pool)
Writer Jessica Johns Pool got into the spirit of the day. (Photo by Smiley N. Pool)
To learn more about Houston’s Do1Thing team, visit these Web sites:
Dave Einsel, photographer: www.daveeinsel.com
Amina Rivera, writer: www.dailycougar.com
Robert Seale, photographer: www.robertseale.com
Todd Spoth, visual journalist: www.toddspoth.com
Jessica Johns Pool, writer: www.jjpeditorial.com
Smiley Pool, photojournalist: www.smileypool.com
Homeless youth, Shanita “Knowledge” Stubbs in Newark, NJ. Knowledge was
placed in foster care as a child, adopted and later back into state care. Mark Peterson has been documenting Knowledge for several months producing some outstanding work.
Ken Light has worked as a freelance documentary photographer, focusing primarily on social issues facing America for almost 40 years. His work has been published in seven books, including Delta Time, To The Promised Land, With These Hands, Texas Death Row and most recently Coal Hollow. He is also the author of the text Witness in Our Time: :Lives of Documentary photographers. His work has been in numerous photo essays in newspapers, magazines and a variety of media (electronic & film), and presented in exhibitions worldwide including a one person show at the International Center for Photography (NYC). He is an adjunct Professor at the Graduate School of Journalism at U.C. Berkeley and director for its Center for Photography, and cofounder of the International Fund for Documentary photography and Fotovision. see Ken’s work
For over a decade, Norah has been fortunate enough to find herself immersed in all things photographic from being behind the lens as a photographer and studio manager to being in front of the client as a photographer’s representative to dealing with new business to actually working on final layout and retouching. Having sat in a variety of seats has afforded her a discerning eye; a way of seeing beyond the ordinary to envision the extraordinary; in essence, a way of seeing beyond the clutter of mediocrity and finding the diamond in the rough.
Couple that with a finer understanding of business management and day-to-day agency dealings and its easy to see why she can understand, relate and communicate effectively with both the creative and client-side. Norah’s multi-tasking approach to a project is highlighted by composure and grace, even under the tightest of deadlines.
Norah’s combination of experience and enthusiasm infuses every project with a sense of confidence. Her balanced and focused approach to all creative assignments results in a positive experience that always exceeds clients expectations. She brings an amazing upbeat energy that turns challenges into workable solutions.
Norah is a DC native and has lived in Boca Raton for the last 8 years with her two wonderful children. She works with numerous non-profits and has a passion for documentary photography that evokes social awareness. She is available for assignments in South Florida and for limited travel. Her body of work includes fine art photography, documentaries, portraits, fashion, head shots, event coverage and sports.
Norahs fine art work posses an a wonderfully intimate, meditative style while often using a small depth of field, her photos offer a glimpse in to another world that often goes unobserved by the clutter and distraction of every day life.
Norah teaches photography classes thru the Palm Beach County Continuing Education Department and is a member of Professional Photographers of America, National Association of Photoshop Professionals, The Junior League of Boca Raton, The Boca Raton Art Museum, and Artist Guild and Art Serve.
Mary Schilpp is an award-winning photographer with 25 years of experience in creative photography. Mary studied at the School of Visual Arts in New York, where she received her BFA in photography. Since then, her photographs have appeared in numerous publications, including ESPN the Magazine, The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, Sports Illustrated for Women, TENNIS and USTA Magazine. Corporate clients include Fuji Photo Film USA, Marriott, Nasdaq-100, Nike, PGATOUR, and USTA. She has won numerous awards, including a PICTURES OF THE YEAR (POY award) in the magazine image category, as well as a NATJA (North American Travel Journalist) award.