Fostercaremonth.org is a great resource to learn more about the foster care system and how
you can make a difference for these children and youth:
Each May, National Foster Care Month provides an opportunity to shine a light on the
experiences of the more than 400,000 children and youth in the foster care system. The
campaign raises awareness about the urgent needs of these young people and encourages
citizens from every walk of life to get involved – as foster or adoptive parents, volunteers,
mentors, employers or in other ways.

With the help of dedicated people, many formerly abused or neglected children and teens
will either reunite safely with their parents, be cared for by relatives or be adopted by loving
families. Many children would not have to enter foster care at all if more states provided
support and services to help families cope with crises early on.
Thanks to the many advocates, child welfare professionals, elected officials and support
groups around the country, the total number of children in foster care has decreased over
recent years. But more help is needed.

Every year, approximately 30,000 young people leave the foster care system without lifelong
families – most at age 18. On their own, these young adults must navigate a weakened
economy offering fewer jobs and less support for vital services such as housing. They need –
and deserve – caring adults who love and support them.

We call on all Americans to join us in helping to change a lifetime of a child or youth in
foster care. No matter who you are or how much time you have to give, you can help create
permanent, lifelong connections for these children and youth.

All children — including the 424,000 American children and youth in foster care — deserve
a safe, happy life. Young people in foster care especially need nurturing adults on their side
because their own families are in crisis and unable to care for them.
You can order a free toolkit to raise awareness in your community, make a donation and learn
about their national partners to get involved in other ways at fostercaremonth.org
One of my favorite organizations for this cause is Foster Care to Success. This amazing
nonprofit helps former foster children live successful and fulfilled lives through a variety of
programs like scholarships and grants, mentor programs, internships in Washington DC,
advocacy programs and a support network.

You can be a part of the important work that the Foster Care to Success organization is
doing by donating, volunteering and even raising awareness by adding them to your social
networking profiles.

Let’s work together to help foster children and youth enjoy a safe and happy life.
To learn more, visit: http://fc2success.org

Foster Care to Success received a three out of four star rating from charitynavigator.org

You are never too young or too old to cherish photos with your mom. As I get older this hits closer to home for me and becomes more a reality, that you never know when someone’s last day on earth will be. Mom’s are taken from this earth in so many ways.

I enjoyed every moment of this session with this mother and daughter. Their love and respect for each other so strong.

I love when a young man becomes an Eagle Scout. It takes preparation, hard work, dedication, and focus to achieve this goal. You can “feel” the sense of accomplishment from these young men during their session.

As a photographer is it VITAL that sessions are properly backed up. As soon as I am done with a session the following is my routine:

I transfer the raw images from the compact flash to my Mac
Backup the images to my 4TB mirrored harddrives
Backup the images to a flash drive & put them in a fireproof safe

At first thought, some may think “overkill” right? From personal experience I say “RESPONSIBLE”. I’ve had several hard drives fail over the years and would have lost a life’s worth of work had the images not been properly backed up. How would I tell a client that the images from their wedding day, their child’s birth, their child’s first birthday, or the remembrance images of their buried baby are forever lost? These images couldn’t be re-created or replaced. It’s not cheap to do this, but it’s something I do to protect my clients and the priceless images that I create for them.

I personally haven’t experienced it, but know some who have had their laptops, computers, equipment stolen and as a result have lost EVERYTHING on their computers.

Please, Please, Please backup the data on your computers … it’s not something only professionals should do. I’m sure there are many mom’s, dad’s, grandparents, photo cherishers out there that would be devastated if they lost their irreplaceable images. BACKUP YOUR COMPUTERS

Don’t miss out on these exciting upcoming sessions and promotions!

Birthday Session:
Attention April birthdays!
We have a special just for you! Call for a free portrait session and {16} wallet-size portraits.

Spring Special:
Our Limited Edition Spring Special portrait session is the perfect way to welcome this warm weather. Set in a tranquil park, this session evokes a blissful memory that you can cherish for years to come. Linen dresses, knickers, and newsboy caps create a timeless charm. These sessions are perfect for children ages seven months and up. It is available at Limited Edition pricing, with a session fee of only $45 and packages starting at $99.

Mommy and Me:
Our Mommy & Me portrait sessions are a great way to create a lasting memory of the mother-child bond. If grandma lives in town, a three-generation portrait can be an extra special touch. Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and these portraits make beautiful gifts!
Call to reserve a session today!