Mission Statement
To raise funds and create awareness to save and empower homeless youth in San Diego County & beyond.
Vision Statement
To raise funds and create awareness for a House of Hope dedicated to saving and empowering 18 to 24 year-old homeless youth starting in San Diego County and then expanding beyond; and to support and expand services at the Storefront Shelter.
Currently there are no services available for 18 to 24 year-old homeless youth in San Diego County.
Please join our Angel Team to make our mission and vision a reality.
Why the name Photocharity?
Photocharity acquired its name from the strong relationships formed from photographing musicians and athletes. These relationships resulted in receiving signed memorabilia. To date, Photocharity has raised over $600,000 to save homeless youth by selling the signed memorabilia. Photography plays a very crucial part in what we do to save homeless youth.
WHAT WE DO
Photocharity is dedicated to raising awareness and funds for charitable organizations that empower youth to make better choices. Homeless and disadvantaged youth have been our prime area of focus over the past eight years. This is accomplished through public speaking, music concerts, photography, and other fundraising events. Heart-felt corporate and volunteer angels assist Photocharity in making this mission a reality.
Photocharity has co-developed an after school program, which includes music & expressive arts, to combat juvenile delinquency. This assists in helping improve self-esteem for homeless & disadvantaged youth. Focus groups with Homeless & disadvantaged youth have helped in understanding which activities would be desired (from the youths' perspective). These focus groups have assisted in selecting activities for the program with a goal of increased participation. The Photocharity after school program was established in 2003 and includes music(guitar, harmonica), snowboarding, rock climbing lessons, and expressive art therapy.. The program has resulted in the teens writing over 50 original songs. A Photocharity band, the TNT Band (Tuesday Night Teens), made up of the Storefront teens has been launched as part of this program and has performed at Photocharity concerts.
Photocharity is educating the public regarding juvenile delinquency issues through our various speaking engagements. We believe that once the community is educated about this situation, and given successful options, they will want to help and support successful solutions.
WHO WE SUPPORT
After several months of researching non-profit organizations that empower youth to make better choices, Photocharity selected The Storefront, the only emergency homeless shelter in San Diego for teens ages 12-17. The Storefront is a program of San Diego Youth and Community Services (www.sdycs.org).
There is an average of 2,000 homeless teens under age 18 every day in San Diego. The majority of these teens are "throw-away" children or come from abusive situations and have nowhere else to go. The Storefront has over an 80% long-term safe placement of these children, one of the highest success rates in the country, because they are empowered to help themselves. Besides receiving food and shelter, these teens must return to school, get a GED, or be trained for a job to remain in the program. During their stay at the shelter they are instructed in life skills education to better prepare themselves to become a productive part of their community.
Photocharity cannot do this alone. Since our beginning we have been blessed with a team of volunteers and corporate sponsors dedicated to this incredible cause. This team has made it possible to turn our mission from a dream into a reality. We consider every member of our team an ANGEL. We have over 250 angels presently on our team.
PLEASE consider joining Photocharity's team. Together we can make a difference!
HOW PHOTOCHARITY RAISES FUNDS
Each year, with the help of our angels, we raise money through public speaking engagements, selling raffle tickets and signed memorabilia, photography, and producing benefit concerts or fundraising events.
Photocharity has raised over $1,500,000 in eight years.
We have enjoyed great success having exciting collectibles donated and signed by major recording artists and other celebrities. Signed memorabilia donated has included The Rolling Stones, Kurzweil keyboards signed by Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band, Billy Joel and Elton John, and The Who, guitars signed by Carlos Santana, B.B. King, The Eagles, James Taylor, Steve Winwood, Dave Matthews, Tommy Castro, Jewell, and others. Several of these items are pre-sold prior to our benefit events. Please see the guitars presently for sale. Our eight benefit concerts have been very successful, selling out up to eight weeks in advance. Our first event was at Buffalo Joes, the second year at The Catamaran Resort and Hotel, our third at The US Grant Hotel, and our fourth and fifth years were at Humphrey's by the Bay. On October, 12, 2007 we honored BB King at SDSU Open Air Theater with 4000 in attendance.
