(click to see entire book)

In early December I had the privilege of visiting People Serving People – a homeless shelter in downtown Minneapolis who partners with Hennepin County to provide food, lodging and services to people in transition.  It was an amazing visit.  Our purpose was to photograph and interview children and make them their very own book.

Many of these children haven’t even seen photos of themselves, let alone have a book to read.  Melissa Tomas, a Heritage Maker’s consultant in Blaine, Minnesota started this program last summer.  Here is her story -

So on November 30th, my friend Jonell and I drove to the shelter and met several other Heritage Makers’ consultants and two photographers to visit the kids.  Our contact gave us a quick tour and told us things about the shelter.  They provide “3 Hot and a Cot” to everyone they can accommodate. Minneapolis School Buses pick kids up there to take them to they home districts so their education is interrupted as little as possible.  They serve 1000 meals every day and use volunteers to help them.  They have 200+ kids there on any given day and provide day care facilities so the parents can work at finding a job.  They have a small computer lab available for online applications.  300 – 400 people sleep there every night.  They need every kind of donation, from food to toiletries to career clothing (NOT 80’s retro) so people can have something nice to wear for a job interview.  (Even jewelry, scarves, make-up) and books – books for their little library.  They let kids borrow books and keep them if they like so they always need more.

Then we got to meet the children. Jonell, Lisa, Barb and I were introduced to the “toddler room”.  The kids were outside playing, so we started there.  We asked them their names and what they liked to do – and made notes of what they were wearing and some identifying things so we could sort our photos out later.

TaySean

We got photos of them playing and looking at a book and cuddling a toy.

Evion

If their parent was available and willing, we would photograph them with their child.

Elijah

I fell in love with my little Kenye who was outside but very sleepy.  She would be the subject of my first book.

Kenye

We stayed for an hour and promised to be back.  We got amazing photos – thanks to Lisa Hughes who is also a Heritage Maker’s consultant.

Draude

Lisa uploaded them into a special “Tucked In Minnesota” account that Heritage Makers set up for us, and we worked on our projects.  Once they are published, we will head back to PSP and give them to our families.  We want them to know how very special they are and that they can achieve anything they want to in this world.  We wish them well.

Click here to learn more about Heritage Makers.

Want to help?  People Serving People takes donations of all kinds – cash, gas cards, food, toiletries, jewelry, scarves, purses, makeup, career clothing (current), books, art supplies – just about anything!  Get it to me and I will take it in on my next trip.  You can also donate money or Heritage Maker’s points to help cover the cost of publishing and shipping the books.  Give me a call at 320-583-9100 if you would like to be a book maker and go along on one of our visits!