Create Now- Helping Vulnerable Youth From 2 to 25 by making Christmas Ornaments.

In December I volunteered to shoot photography at a charity to help the organization Create Now, a 501(c)(3) non-profit create in 1996 to help high risk vulnerable youth through creative endeavors.  The kids are those fighting to overcome a past of neglect, abuse, or the bad choices of their parents or themselves.  They have access to a network of over 1,200 facilities that provide services, shelter or detain trouble children in the community.  The event was a networking party at Exclusive Casting Studios in Hollywood called "HAVE A BALL!"  between members of the entertainment industry and actors with the overall purpose to make Christmas Ornaments for a great charity.

Truly giving from the body... your hair.....

OK. I'd say this is for the women out there, but in this day and age, even men want to feel good about what they see in the mirror. I've never really died my hair. I think I got it colored once at a salon, and at the time I was told I was getting semi-permanent vegetable dye. Well the dye did not act semi-permanent and I did not like it. I started hennaing my hair in College. I know I was told my great grandmother used to do what I do to get vibrant healthy hair.

My Art Photo Journal on "Cardboard Box City" Raising Homelessness Awareness

Last night I went to an event at the First Presbyterian Church in Burbank called the "Cardboard Box City." It was organized by the group "Family Promise of East San Fernando Valley." According to this organization 40% of the homeless in the United States are families with Children. This event was a fund raiser to raise money to help the families in need. Space was rented so donors could build box homes and sleep over night or others could virtually rent a space by donation. See this article for more information: http://www.cal-pac.org/news/detail/57

Articles I Wrote About the Environment for Earth Protect (not paid for by the site.)

These are blogs I wrote for Earth Protect on a whim and on the possibility of eventual payment, but at the time I had too many computer problems.

Stingrays: Protect and Respect - Steve Irwin and Giants!

Van Jones, New Obama Cabinet Adviser on Green Jobs: The Environmental New Deal Czar. (This article appears to have been removed from the site, though I still have a hard copy.) (blog/business and the environment)

What are you doing for Earth Day?: Discovering the Beauty in Clearing A Creek Bed for the Future (blog/people and the environment)

Why the tittle?

Holistic Organic Philanthropic Expression (Hope) came about as an exploration in the dictionary.  I wanted to find something that would cover all of my interests.  I love art, acting, theater, film, studios, sets, photography, good stories, poetry, and the beauty of nature.  This is my place to explore these things, and perhaps give to someone else something back.  An idea.  A creative burst of energy.  A laugh.  A cry.  Or if no one reads, I hope to at least get the junk out of my head to clear it for new ideas and new thoughts.  I am traveling my own version of the "Artists Way."