Since the COVID-19 pandemic, community service projects have been particularly hard hit. That’s one area where we, as photographers, can help. Did you know our club has a long history of community service and even has a fund specifically created to help support community service projects involving photography?

The Community Service Fund awards grants that support projects that represent the best ideals of community service through photography. Funds may be used for consumables but not for capital goods. Items like paper, teaching supplies, printing, and matting qualify but buying cameras, lenses, and printers would not.

For example, we’ve done holiday portraits of less fortunate families at A Wider Circle, an organization dedicated to ending poverty. Often these were the first nice pictures they’d had of their children. Club volunteers brought their own gear over and volunteered their time and talents. The club’s Community Service Fund paid for paper, printing, matting, etc.

Projects should benefit the community in a way that involves photography. You can find all the details and the application form on the club’s website. If you’ve got an idea, just fill out the form and we’ll put out the word to encourage other club members to help. Recipients of grants will be invited to brief the club at a later club meeting and submit an article for the Cable Release.

We all know the positive impact photography can have. If you’re involved in a community service project that includes a photography component, or know of a project that could use some photography assistance, fill out an application! Turn it in at any club meeting and we’ll will get back to you within 30 days. Let’s make a difference in our community!

Application form:
https://www.ssccphotography.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CSPF-Grant-App-revised-2020-09.pdf

Web link: http://www.ssccphotography.org/activities/communityservice-fund/