This week I’ve had the opportunity to share information about two incredible charity organizations but today’s the day I’m most excited about because today is about sharing them all (at least every one that I know of). This makes me particularly happy because my hope is that you will be able to find one or two or ten opportunities that are a perfect fit for your heart.

For me personally, it all stems from a huge ‘I owe you’. I know what I’m capable of and I know what I’m not. So many times I’ve been blessed with abilities beyond my own. I feel richly blessed to have been given such an incredible adult life. Part of me knows it is in pity for a stolen childhood but I also recognize that it was never owed to me. Nothing is ever owed.

These are not my talents. They are a gift that He has given me. I do not take that for granite. I do not own any right to any of the blessings that have befallen me and I understand that they can be taken as easily as they were given. In understanding this, I see that these gifts were not given for me alone. They – as all gifts always are – were given to share.

There is no right or wrong way to share your talents, all that matters is that we do share! It could be through an official organization or simply because you saw an opportunity to give and acknowledged it. A talent that has not been shared is a talent wasted.

Tonight I went and spoke for about an hour and a half with some beautiful teenage girls. The very last thing we did was practice looking good in a picture, because what gal doesn’t want a few slimming tricks for the camera? I had them all stand up and I showed them how to position their body to be most flattering for them. Not only did I get to share my love for photography but I also had the opportunity to bolster these teenage girls self image the next time a camera is turned on them. It was a great night! One of the girls took some pictures…

Here is a list of all the Charity Organizations for Photographers that I’m aware of. If you know of any more, are affiliated with one of these or just have a wonderful idea for sharing our talents please share them with us in the comments.

All Mission Statements come from website.*

Celebrating Adoption

Celebrating Adoption is an organization of photographers dedicated to promoting adoption.  Our participating photographers are very different:  some shoot with natural light while others use studio light; some prefer posing the subject while others prefer the spontaneity of lifestyle photography; but we all have one thing in common, the desire to celebrate your adoption with you!

.

Inspiration Through Art

Inspiration Through Art [formerly The Littlest Heroes Project] is a non-profit based organization made up of professional photographers, artists, children, and other volunteers nationwide that provide free programs and services to our nation’s heroes. Through the power of photography and the gift of art we are giving back and taking a stand for these children who sometimes feel forgotten because of their illnesses. We are here to let them know that they are heroes to many, and to share their inspirational stories and photos with the world.

.

Images For A Cure

Images for a Cure is a fund-raising effort started by Kristen Weaver and a group of passionate photographers who are motivated to make a difference. It’s not often that we have an opportunity come across our paths that allow us to use our talents and strengths to contribute to such a fantastic cause. We have recognized that our support will make a difference, and encourage other friends and photographers to get involved in our cause.

We are daughters, sisters, husbands and fathers. We are roommates, best friends and soul mates. We are photographers with a passion for giving back. In November 2010, we will unite our talents to contribute one day of session fees in support of breast cancer research. 100% of all session fees collected on this date will be donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®. We are hopeful, that with your support we will find a cure in our lifetime.

Help Portrait

Help-Portrait is a community of photographers, coming together across the world, to use their photography skills to give back to their local community. On or around, December 12th, photographers around the world will be grabbing their cameras, finding people in need, and taking their picture. When the prints are ready, the photographs get delivered.

.

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

The Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep foundation is there for parents and families to help aid them in their Healing, bring Hope to their future, and Honor to their child.  It is through Remembrance that a family can truly begin to heal.

The NILMDTS Mission Statement:
To introduce remembrance photography to parents suffering the loss of a baby with the free gift of professional portraiture.  We believe these images serve as an important step in the family’s healing process by honoring their child’s legacy.

Giving Is Awesome

Giving is Awesome is a simple effort by photographers worldwide to give back to their communities. Regional contests are sponsored by photographers across the globe. Each photographer is encouraged to give both a session fee and a generous amount of portrait product (typically $1000 or more) to a worthy individual or family this holiday season. Giving a smaller portrait gift to the person who does the nominating of the winner (typically $250 or more) is also strongly encouraged.

.

Think Pink Photography – Temporarily Closed

Through our professional photographer network, we are helping breast cancer patients to celebrate life with charitable photography sessions.

Individuals may choose to document their fight against the disease before or during treatment, or prefer to capture their victory by scheduling a session within 12 months after treatment is completed.

Photographers world-wide are now available to donate time and talent to celebrate life and support the cause. There is no cost or obligation to the breast cancer patient. Clients participating in a Think Pink Session will receive a complimentary photo session, as well as a set of 10 small prints from the session. They will also receive a discount on any additional portraits they wish to purchase, although there is absolutely no purchase required at any time.

Operation: Love ReUnited

The last thing on your mind when your wife or husband arrives home after a 4 to 18 month tour, is capturing all this love — on film. Most people are so overwhelmed with emotions they forget to simply point and shoot the camera they are grasping of their child’s first hug, or that single tear of relief from a mother being able to hold her twenty year old son again. With the help of Operation: Love ReUnited and local photographers near your base, you can.

The Operation helps those long months go by a little faster. It’s designed to capture moments that you will never remember. It’s art. It’s love. And it’s all made possible by artists wanting to give something back to those who make the United States what it is, and ask for nothing in return — but to come home.

Pictures of Hope

Pictures of Hope is a charitable organization of professional photographers who provide complimentary, documentary-style, photography sessions to babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and their families. The Pictures of Hope Foundation is comprised of photographers (many of whom are “NICU mothers” themselves) from across the United States and Canada who are dedicated to donating their time to a cause they believe in, and sharing the gift of photography with families in need.

.

American Child Photographers Charity Guild

The American Child Photographers Charity Guild is a non-profit, volunteer based organization of child photographers from all over the country who have come together to form a guild dedicated to children in need and their families.

No fees are ever collected for the photography services provided by the volunteers of The American Child Photography Charity Guild.

.

Dog Meets World

The mission of Dog Meets World (DMW) is to give children/families in developing countries personal photographs, often for the first time. DMW seeks to change the way people travel by creating positive cross-cultural interactions and rather than simply taking pictures, to give them as well. Travelers bring along a digital camera, a portable printer and the stuffed Foto mascot dog to photograph children and practice Take & Give Photography! Practicing DMW is simple, affordable and fun and is ground level diplomacy and voluntourism for all travelers.

DMW believes that each single shared photograph creates a cultural connection and an indelible affirmation that is left behind as a personal artifact and a tiny seed of peace.

Flashes of Hope

Flashes of Hope is a nonprofit organization that changes the way children with cancer and other life threatening illnesses see themselves through the gift of photography and raises money for pediatric cancer.

The portraits, taken by award-winning photographers, help children feel better about their changing appearance by celebrating it. For families of terminally ill children, it’s especially important to have a portrait that preserves forever the beauty, grace and dignity of their child.

If you know people who would benefit from this post, please share using the links below. Thank you!

I also want to direct everyone to a wonderful website called Shutter Mission. It’s a website dedicated to getting the information about such charities out to photographers and it gives fantastic info that’s worth bookmarking. It was a wonderful resource in compiling this list.