For the little ones...

These were the beautiful faces I saw today.

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I'm so grateful to keep getting my perspective readjusted. Just when I am way too focused on myself (which is frightfully easy, unemployment or no), something comes along that makes me snap to.

Today I joined Lisa from Help a Mother Out to attend a family event with the APA Family Support Services in their Chinatown office. HAMO, who you might remember from previous posts, is doing something to help parents that our social service system cannot: getting much needed diapers and toiletries to low income and homeless parents.

It sounds almost too simple to be true, but diapers are not covered under a family's food stamp ration. Which means if you've got a baby, and you're on a fixed income, you have to use your precious dollars to buy diapers because your food stamp allotment won't cover them. And for those of you who may not realize it, diapers are expensive. Some mothers are forced to go without, or reuse diapers, which causes health issues for the babies and emergency room visits that could be avoided.

Wouldn't it be so simple to make sure that families can get the diapers they need without sacrificing food? It's been a while since I've written on such issues, and I only want to write when such issues are before me, so that you're experiencing what I'm seeing.

So if you can, check out HAMO's website to learn how you can help donate diapers that will be given to needy, grateful families and babies.

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Being in Chinatown is always a joy for me. Being able to help in my way (photography-wise) with this family support center, which helps Asian families throughout San Francisco, was even more special. The people at APA provide valuable services to the families that come to them: parenting classes, English classes,

APA's goal is to provide family support services to prevent child abuse and domestic violence.

If my camera and photos help in any tiny way towards that goal, then I am truly happy.

For more info:

Help a Mother Out
APA Family Support Services

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UPDATE 9/22 8:19am: Lisa at HAMO has posted the story behind our visit to APA yesterday. Check it out here.