When our family made the choice to move home after living in Colorado for 12 years, we chose a home in the Plymouth Canton, Michigan area based on the needs of our family. We looked for a home that was big enough for our circus of kids and pets. 🙂
The unexpected gift we discovered upon moving to our new neighborhood was the diversity all around us. Plymouth Canton is a community that is rich with culture and diversity. It’s a large multicultural community with a large population of first, second and third generation Middle Eastern families, many who have become dear friends of ours in the year and a half since moving to Southeast, Michigan.
When conflicts between Israel and Palestine significantly escalated this past Fall, I felt a strong desire to do something. But what? How as Americans can we step up and help when geographically, we are so far away from the eye of the storm?
I’m a huge history lover and as I’ve tried to stay informed and aware of all that’s been going on in the Middle East, I’ve continued to consider how I would have responded during the Holocaust that took place in Europe during the 1930’s & 1940’s.
As an “American housewife”, had I known about the slaughter of lives taking place across the ocean, would I have just stayed silent? Would I have continued to mother my own children, put dinner on the table each night for my family and live my life, “as usual”, all the while knowing that absolute Hell was taking place for families across the world? I have to believe that I wouldn’t have done so then. And, I’m not able to just “live my life” and remain silent now.
“If I Were to Remain Silent, I’d Be Guilty of Complicity.”Albert Einstein
I don’t believe that many of us fully understand the complexities of the war going on between our brothers and sisters living in Palestine and Israel. But if we’re all waiting to “fully understand”, we will be waiting forever.
As I contemplated on how I could use my own gifts and talents to do my part, I had the idea to offer photos to families in our Plymouth Canton, Michigan community. These would be “donation only” Personality Mini Sessions at Studio Neue in Plymouth, Michigan. For every family that scheduled photos, I asked that they provide documentation of a recent donation towards an organization working to provide relief to families who have been affected in the Middle East.
While the choice of which organization to donate to was fully their own, I did some research on my own to provide families with a bit of direction. I was able to find 3 amazing organization that I believe are honest and worthy of donating to. I want to briefly share those organizations with you today incase you are looking for some way to also give back.
Tree Tops Collective
“Through our holistic, relational model, Treetops Collective is providing opportunities for refugee women and teen girls to find their place in West Michigan, reclaim their identity, and build new relationships.” (Tarah Carnahan, Founder)
Treetops Collective is especially near to my heart because it was founded by one of my oldest and dearest friends. Treetops is a Grand Rapids run cross-cultural movement that connects with and invests in New American (refugee) women leaders, together transforming our communities into places of belonging.
If you would like to donate to Treetops Collective to support refugee families, you can do so here.
World Central Kitchen
“World Central Kitchen started with a simple idea at home with my wife Patricia: when people are hungry, send in cooks. Not tomorrow, today.” (Founder & Chief Feeding Operator, Jose Andres)
“Following an extreme escalation of violence in early October, World Central Kitchen is partnering with a local organization in Gaza to provide aid to Palestinians, and anyone else in need. Teams are also on the ground in Israel to support displaced families and in neighboring countries, should people fleeing need assistance”.
Doctors Without Borders
“We provide independent, impartial medical humanitarian assistance to the people who need it most”. (Doctors Without Borders Representative)
As of December 28, MSF is operational in six hospitals and one primary health care facility in Gaza, mainly in the south and central part of the Strip (called the Middle Area). Teams are providing surgical care, wound care, physiotherapy, outpatient consultations, and mental health services to people impacted by the war and the worsening humanitarian catastrophe.
Our Studio Neue Personality Mini Sessions were a hit with 7 families and 15 children who came out to show support and have photos taken this past weekend. I’m excited to share more about these sessions this week in another blog post.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU to each of the families that donated and partnered with me to love on hurting families.
I am so thankful for each of you! And a huge thank you to Becca, owner of Studio Neue in Plymouth, Michigan for allowing us to host these sessions in your lovely studio space.
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