A Charity That Helps Preserve the Photo, Memory of a Lost Infant

The number one posting on this blog, day in and out, is financial help for the burial of a loved one.  Many people want a decent burial for those they love, and some want more.  In the case of a miscarriage, still birth, or the death of an infant, some families want a photographic memory of who they lost.

A few years ago, the Duggar Family (of 19 and Counting fame), came in for some controversy when pictures were leaked of a miscarried child of theirs, taken by the nonprofit group Now I Law Me Down To Sleep.  The group will take pictures at no cost of dead, stillborn and miscarried infants, at the request of the infant's families.  The work is done by a network of volunteer photographers, and a CD of the image and a release agreement is given to families so that they can have pictures made of the image (the cost of making pictures from the CD is not covered).  It provides a keepsake by which families can remember their lost child.  For more information, see this FAQ on their services for families. 

As with most websites for people in need, there are links for other types of support and resources for parents who suffer from the loss of their infant.  

Help-Portrait Day is December 7, 2013. Free Portraits for People Who Need Them

Once, portraits were done by great artists for important, wealthy patrons.  Now, pictures are necessary for some sorts of ID, and desirable as a way to freeze a time in your life--or your children's lives.  For many low-income people, these are out of reach.  But a loose confederation of photographers around the world are making it different.

2013 is the fifth anniversary of Help-Portrait, a movement that once a year, in cities around the world, photographers take pictures of people for free.  This year, December 7th is the date.  In my workplace, you can tell that Help-Portrait is going on, because parents and kids, and many of our patrons, some with permanent addresses and some without, know that a photographer will shoot a frozen moment of their lives that they can pass down to their kids and that will exist forever.  If you need or want such a picture and would like to find a help-portrait event near you, try looking one up at this site for help-portrait communities,  or check them out on facebook and see if a group near you has formed.  And mark December 7th on your calendar as the day to get your picture taken.