Last Monday I did a post telling you all about the Think Pink Photography network.  They help give back to fight the evil we know called Breast Cancer..

This week I want to share with you another really important photography network I belong too.  It is called The Single Parent Project - Turning lemons into lemonade.  I first heard about this network when they were just launching, on a photography board I belong too.  I literally jumped up and down to be apart of this network.

Quoted from the site:

"The Singe Parent Project - turning lemons into lemonade is a non-profit organization founded in February 2009.  This organization, while small right now, strives to become a huge nationwide group of photographers, that provide free or reduced rate custom photography to single parents around the world."

Growing up in a single parent household I saw how hard my mom struggled to give my sisters and I anything nice.  I don't care if it was a pair of socks, my mom struggled to make it the nicest pair of socks we ever wore. 

I watched all of my friends get awesome family portraits, or school photos while we passed because we needed food instead of photos.  I clearly remember the two times my Mom spent money on family portraits, once when I was about ten and then the other when I was about 19.

Those pictures still hang up on her wall.

Then there are my two baby sisters, both single parents.  They provide their kids with everything they could possibly need, but family portraits are not on their top priority because it is a luxury cost to them. 

With my family it is easy to give back.. I love to take pictures of my sisters and their boys.  And my sisters are MORE than willing to be my photo subjects.  (anyone meet my sister Jenny? she loves the camera)

In a nutshell, parenting is hard work.  It is hard when there are two parents in the home, let alone being a single parent.  In my own life I am trying to show my boys that giving back is super important in how the world works.  Giving back feels good.  It makes me truly appreciate all the wonderful blessing I have in my life.

The Singe Parent Project is just another small way I can give back.  If you know anyone that could benefit from their services, pass along their name.  (please remember I get nothing from mentioning them either, I am just getting their name out there!)

If you are a photographer and are interested in becoming apart of this network their application is HERE.

                                    photo of my baby sister and her two boys