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We’re getting 2012 underway with our second Meetup dedicated to Aging Out of Foster Care, it’s going to be a bright year and an incredible project! We’re excited to tell everyone the scoop on moving forward; we’ve good news about opportunities to work with Seattle’s inspiring and proactive Mockingbird Society, plus planning our next steps setting Aging Out of Foster Care into action. We’re in awe of all the progress we’ve seen come from the New York chapter and bolstered by our already gaining support in Seattle.
When: Monday, January 23, 2012, 7:00 PM
Where: Susan’s House, 1843 41st Ave E, Seattle, WA
Amanda will share the results of an amazing late December meeting with the executive Director of Mockingbird Society, our possible 1 and only partner for this project!
I hope to see everyone Monday evening at 7pm and to continue the fantastic discussion we started last go-around. Please complete the application on the SG Local website and check out the Mockingbird Society, they’re an impressive bunch!
Light fare and beverages will be provided by our lovely hosts, please be sure to RSVP to the Meetup so we can plan some munchies for you!
Thanks all and see you Monday!
Steph and Amanda
Jan 18, 2012 | Categories: Aging-Out of Foster Care, SEA, SEATTLE | Tags: aging out, citizen journalism, documentary photography, foster care, meetup, mockingbird society, multimedia storytelling, new media, photography, SalaamGarage Local, seattle, SGlocal | Leave A Comment »
Announcing the first SalaamGarage/Local:SEA Meetup! This is an overview, planning and introduction meeting for media folk interested in volunteering their skills to SalaamGarage/Local: Seattle.
We’ll be introducing our first project, Aging Out of Foster Care, it’s success in NYC (huge!) as well as our plans to launch ‘Aging Out’ in Seattle.
When: Monday, 12/5/11, 7-9pm
Click here for Meetup info and to RSVP
Anyone interested in photographing stories, writing, organizing, writing, social media gurus, interested people, supporting and producing ‘Aging Out’ … is welcome, we can’t wait to meet you!
This is a professional project, please be aware that we’ll be focusing our efforts on working with professional photographers, writers, organizers, social media-junkies, leaders. Also, this is volunteer work for an incredible cause and stories worth telling — and get out into the world!
You can read more about the stories coming out of the talent in NYC here:
http://www.local.salaamgarage.com/
and here:
http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/photoserve/SGLocal-NYC-Launches-3544.shtml
There will be light munchies available. We can’t wait to see you there!
Amanda Koster and Steph Hansen
Nov 17, 2011 | Categories: Local, SEA | Tags: local, SalaamGarage Local, seattle, SGlocal | Leave A Comment »
Renald has a hopeful future. He is a senior in college and has dreams of becoming a lawyer. (Aug. 8, 2011) Photo by Heather Walsh
Here is a preview of the 3rd story from our current all volunteer SGLocal-NYC Aging Out of Foster Care Project. Photographer Heather Walsh, one of the SalaamGarage producers on this project photographed Renald this month. He is an aged-out foster kid who is defying the statistics because he is in college, working to become a lawyer. According to The Children’s Aid Society, “Each year, approximately 20,000 of the 542,000 children in foster care nationwide are discharged to live on their own. Five percent of these, or approximately 1,100 young adults, are discharged to fend for themselves in New York City.” It isn’t hard to guess that the percentage of aged out youth making it into higher education and graduating is dismally low. Reading statistics can often be pretty abstract. The numbers quoted here are some of the saddest and most moving I have ever read. “According to studies of young people discharged to themselves in different states: 12-30% struggled with homelessness; 40-63% did not complete high school; 25-55% were unemployed; those employed had average earnings below the poverty level, and only 38% of those employed were still working after one year; 31-42% were arrested; 18-26% were incarcerated; and 40-60% of the young women were pregnant within 12-18 months of leaving foster care.”
It was meeting at-risk youth at the Next Generation Center in the Bronx, a Children’s Aid Society community center that supports youth from all over the city when they age out of the foster care system and transition out of the juvenile justice system, that we were inspired to tell these stories.
Renald spends long hours working and taking college courses before returning home each day. (Aug. 19, 2011) Photo by Heather Walsh
With assistance from HPRP, a pilot program operated by the Nassau County Office of Housing and Homeless Services, he has a place he can call home, a third-story walk-up. (Aug. 19, 2011) Photo by Heather Walsh
Living on your own can be challenging, "because you just have to do everything for yourself," says Renald. (Aug. 19, 2011) Photo by Heather Walsh
Renald and his two younger brothers lived together in foster homes for eight years until he aged out and had to leave them behind. He is now living alone. (Aug. 8, 2011) Photo by Heather Walsh
Renald is taking part in a program that helps aged-out youth with housing subsidies. The Nassau County Homelessness Prevention & Rapid Re-Housing (HPRP) pilot program. Photographer Heather Walsh is still working on her project with Renald and is looking for places in print and online to share his story. She and many other photographers on the team are looking forward to getting these stories published in print and online. If you would like to run any of these stories in your publication, or know of a publication that does, please get in touch!
Want to get involved? If you live in the NYC/NJ metro area and are a professional writer, reporter, photographer, videographer, or other media creator and would like to get involved please join the SalaamGarage Meetup group, a link to the application can be found there.
Inspired to help youth when they age out of the foster care system?
Go to these local orgs to donate, volunteer, spread the word, or adopt an older foster kid:
You Gotta Believe, and You Gotta Believe! on twitter @AdoptOlderKids
The Children’s Aid Society Next Generation Center and on twitter at @ChildrensAidNYC
ProjectMMH, on twitter @ProjectMMH, was founded by country singer and aged out foster kid Jimmy Wayne. He has a powerful inspiring story of overcoming the odds and a terrible youth to finding success. ProjectMMH has one of the best lists of local and national organizations working to help youth when they age out of foster care.
For more info about SalaamGarage Local and the Aging Out of Foster Care project, email maggie@salaamgarage.com.
Aug 31, 2011 | Categories: Aging-Out of Foster Care, Local, NYC | Leave A Comment »
Andre by photographer Matthew Furman
NY based photographer Matthew Furman photographed Andre last week as part of the SalaamGarage Local-NYC Aging-Out of Foster Care in NYC project. So far, approximately 15 photographers, 10 writers, and 18 former foster youth have agreed to participate in this, the first SalaamGarage Local project. We are working hard to raise awareness and inspire action to help youth when they age out of the foster care system in the NYC metro area.
Andre, 22 Freeport, NY
When Andre was 7 years old social services came one day and took him and his 5 year old little brother away. His uncle had been beating them pretty badly. His little brother apparently was getting the worst of it, and he’s the one that told a nurse at school. Andre told Matt that is was pretty scary when strangers put him and his brother in a van and told them that they were going to a ‘better place’. The worst part was that the family that he went to wasn’t any better. Andre described, “some Spanish guy beating us too..dipping us in cold water as punishment.” It was hard for Matt to hear that, at the time, Andre was pissed at his brother because even though it was bad, he didn’t want to be away from his family. Looking back he isn’t mad at his brother anymore.
From the ages of 18-21 Andre lived at Seaford House where he had his own room. He is grateful that Seaford House kept him motivated to get out there and get a job. He earned his CNA, but quickly realized that it wasn’t for him.
Andre is working at a Babies R Us currently. Andre told Matt that he’d like to go back to school. So, Matt asked him where he sees himself in 5 years. Andre replied, “I want to be successful. I know how life really is, I’ve been through the lowest of lows, so I’m ready for the highs. Sky’s the limit. I’d like to have a nice home and eventually start a family.” To see photographer Matt Furman’s blog post and more photos click here: http://www.furmanfoto.com/blog/. Matt told me it was a great experience and he loved getting out there with just his camera and no crew, no lights, no studio…
Andre in his neighborhood by photographer Matthew Furman
Andre on Brooklyn Ave. in Freeport, NY by photographer Matthew Furman
Andre is part of a program that helps aged-out youth with housing subsidies. The Nassau County Homelessness Prevention & Rapid Re-Housing (HPRP) pilot program. Photographer Matthew Furman is still working on his story with a writer and will be looking for places in print and online to share his story.
Do you want to help get foster kids into permanent homes? Coney Island, NY based organization You Gotta Believe works to place older foster kids into safe permanent homes. They are on twitter @adoptolderkids. So far they have placed more than 400 older foster youth in permanent families. You can join their mentoring program, adopt a local older kid, or donate to their programs.
Also, you help youth as they age out of the foster care system in NYC by supporting the Children’s Aid Society Next Generation Center in the Bronx.
If you live in the NYC/NJ metro area and are a professional writer, reporter, photographer, videographer, or other media creator and would like to get involved please join the SalaamGarage Meetup group. Let me know if you know the perfect newspaper or magazine, online and in print for our teams to publish their stories.
For more info about SalaamGarage Local and the Aging-Out of Foster Care project, email maggie@salaamgarage.com.
Aug 25, 2011 | Categories: Aging-Out of Foster Care, Local, NYC, SalaamGarage News | 1 Comment »
Dmitri at Sam's Barber Shop in Massapequa Park, NY. (Aug. 11, 2011) Photo by Heather Walsh
Foster kids in New York age out of the system anywhere between 18 and 21 years old. Few are left with the resources and skills needed to support themselves, or find work and secure housing. A large percentage of youth end up homeless after aging out of the foster care system. Here is one story in summary, the first of many being created by the SalaamGarage Local humanitarian media team in NYC to raise awareness about the challenges youth face when they age-out of the foster care system. SalaamGarage is excited to launch this, the pilot for our first local storytelling project. It is called SalaamGarage Local, or SGLocal for short. SGLocal-NYC is our first hyper local based team. The team is made up of local media professionals who are committed to using their storytelling and documentary skills to make a positive impact on the social problems affecting our communities.
Dmitriy, 22 yrs. old. Bethpage, NY (As told to photographer Heather Walsh)
After his birth in Russia, Dmitriy was placed into an orphanage where he lived with more than 100 children. At age 11 he was adopted by an American family and moved to New York. He spoke no English and the only person he could talk to was a Russian barber who he still sees regularly. He only lived with his adopted family for three years, experiencing neglect and mistreatment the whole time. Without notice, his adopted parents placed him into foster care. At first he landed in an institutional home that he says was worse than the orphanage. After that he was placed in two two foster care group homes until at 21, he aged-out of the system. He now lives on his own and works for the Oyster Bay Dept. of Sanitation. He hopes to have a long career with the dept. and build a good life for himself.
Dmitriy, age 22, stands in hallway of his apartment in Bethpage, NY. (Aug. 2, 2011) Photo by Heather Walsh
Dmitriy is part of a program that helps aged-out youth with housing subsidies. The Nassau County Homelessness Prevention & Rapid Re-Housing (HPRP) pilot program. Photographer Heather Walsh is still working on her project with Dmitriy and will be looking for places in print and online to share his story. She and many other photographers on the team are looking forward to working with local reporters who can write and interview the subjects for the greatest impact.
If you live in the NYC/NJ metro area and are a professional writer, reporter, photographer, videographer, or other media creator and would like to get involved please join the SalaamGarage Meetup group.
For more info about SalaamGarage Local email maggie@salaamgarage.com.
Aug 15, 2011 | Categories: Aging-Out of Foster Care, Local, NYC | 1 Comment »
Jul 27, 2011 | Categories: Fundraising, How-To, Resources | Leave A Comment »
My name is Kristie McLean and I traveled with SalaamGarage to Ethiopia six months ago. For me, one of the biggest attractions to SalaamGarage is its focus on raising awareness of social issues and challenging travelers to ACT (rather than just documenting the status quo) to bring about positive change.
I am always on the lookout for long-term solutions to global social issues. While on the trip, I heard the heartbreaking story of a 22-year old woman, on the brink of suicide, who was brought to Hamlin Fistula Hospital and successfully treated, but whose husband and family would not accept her home again. I also met an Ethiopian engineer who builds water mills that help women in rural communities- and the idea of creating a mill to help both constituencies and serve as a practical solution to everyday life was born.
This water-powered mill in Western Ethiopia will grind grain for 800 families in the community of Begi and provide a safe living compound and sustainable income source for obstetric fistula survivors.
The initial $1,000 for Phase One has been wired to Addis Ababa and the local work team has traveled and researched the best site and obtained the land. I’m excited to report that Phase Two of the Ethiopian water mill project is now underway!
Please join me in the next push to raise at least $2,500 (of the remaining $10K) by July 25th! That’s my birthday, and I’m hoping that in lieu of other birthday gestures I can raise awareness and funds to re-build and empower other lives instead.
To help: please visit the Crooked Trails website (the 501c3 sponsor for this project) at http://www.crookedtrails.org/project6.php to make your TAX-DEDUCTIBLE donation. Make sure to mark “Ethiopia Water Mill Project” in the Notes field so the funds are earmarked successfully. Crooked Trails is set up for corporate-matching and happily accepts both check and credit card donations. THANK YOU for your generous support of the women of Ethiopia!
Kristie McLean
Jul 15, 2011 | Categories: Ethiopia 2010, Ethiopia Life, Fundraising, Hamlin Fistula Hospital, SalaamGarage News | Tags: addis ababa, DIY, Ethiopia, fistula, Fistula Foundation, Hamlin Fistula Hospital, help | Leave A Comment »
“Samara Lectures is a full-service Seattle-based lecture agency that focuses on speakers who make a difference in the world. SalaamGarage is the perfect example of the type of organization we like to support – making connections by telling stories about real people and their struggles. Since we specialize in bringing this kind of inspirational first person story to audiences, Amanda Koster is a perfect addition to our roster….
“We’ve been very impressed by Amanda’s talks at conference such as TEDX Seattle, Web 2.0, and Gnomedex. The most challenging part of talking about humanitarian work is making the suffering of people who live far away, that the audience will never meet, relevant and personal. When we saw Amanda successfully raise $2600 for fistula surgeries in Ethiopia with a five minute talk at Ignite Seattle, we knew we had to get her more opportunities to share her work.”
Amanda Koster’s bio is now available on our website including a description of her talk and quotes from people who’ve presented her as a speaker. If you know of a lecture series, conference, company, artist in residency, or school that could benefit from her inspiration and expertise, please contact us at info@samaralectures.com.
Jul 12, 2011 | Categories: Engagements and Events, SalaamGarage News | Tags: artist in residency, Ethiopia, fistula, gnomedex, ignite, public speaking, samara lectures, seattle, speaker, tedx seattle | Leave A Comment »
Ecuadorian TRAVEL VISA
Ecuador does not require a travel visa unless you plan on staying longer than 90 days. If you are extending your trip on your own, you can obtain a travel visa in Ecuador.
IMMUNIZATIONS
Plan ahead for getting your vaccinations: some of them require more than one injection, while some should not be given together. You should see a travel doctor six weeks prior to departure.
Ecuador requires no immunizations to enter the country, however, due to the remote nature of our destination, there are several immunizations you should consider. These include Malaria, Yellow Fever, Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Tetanus, and Hepatitis B. Malaria is a concern for travel in the Amazon basin and parts of the far northern coast. However, you should ask for advice from the doctor. If you haven’t had your Measles/Mumps/Rubella shot since you were a child, your doctor will suggest it. Let your doctor help you decide based on your length of stay and our planned destinations in Ecuador.
MONEY
The currency in Ecuador is the US dollar. Cash and travelers’ checks are readily accepted and can be exchanged at the airport, exchange houses or any banks when you arrive in Quito. It is important to examine your US dollars before arriving in Ecuador. Bills must be in good condition or banks and exchange houses will not accept them. Avoid bringing bills with small tears, writing or heavily worn bills. Traveler’s checks are exchanged at a lower rate than cash and a commission can be charged. ATMs are readily available in most of the cities we will visit.
All participants should carry a money belt for carrying valuables such as cash, air tickets, passports and credit cards.
While in Ecuador, you will be responsible for:
Your own meals in Quito, where you can expect to pay around $5.00 to $10.00 a meal.
International airport departure tax, which is $25.00.
Tips and gratuities: This is a very delicate matter for us, throughout the years we have been often asked what gratuity would be appropriate to leave for the guides. It is our recommendation that the quality of service should determinate the extend of any gratuity for example if the service received has been excellent, a suggestion of US$ 40 per person for whole trip is considered appropriate. Please take note that this is a suggestion: tipping and gratuities are very personal.
Personal items such as laundry, phone calls, emails and snacks.
Jul 06, 2011 | Categories: Ecuador | Leave A Comment »
PDN’s PhotoServe is pleased to announce a partnership with SalaamGarage!!!
PDN and PhotoServe.com are always on the lookout for excellent storytellers and thrilled to offer a package allowing members of SalaamGarage to feature their projects. Join the most exclusive professional photography community and take advantage of a discounted package which includes a PDN subscription, portfolio on PhotoServe.com and discounts on photography contests and with participating vendors. PhotoServe actively supports our members through editorial and news pieces written on behalf of our members and included in our monthly newsletter to over 15,000 creatives, industry events, print and direct mail marketing, and through social media outlets. Discounted rate: $635 paid in full / $660 paid in quarterly installments
For more information or to purchase this value-added membership, contact:
Kristie Nilsson - knilsson@pdnonline.com - (646) 654-5812
Jul 05, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave A Comment »
