America runs on volunteers: people who donate their time and energy to feed those who need food, to fight against racism, to foster community, to support the arts and artists, to save the environment, to care for the aged.
No one volunteers because they want recognition or acknowledgement; they volunteer because they care and because it feels good to give back. However, witnessing both individual and collective volunteerism can inspire and encourage others. And perhaps more importantly restore our faith in humankind and our confidence in the future. And so, along with generous and willing subjects, I’ve created this project: Volunteers of America.
My plans are to photograph many more volunteers across a wide variety of causes (anti-racism, income inequality, food insecurity, immigration, housing, environment, aging, the arts, animal protection, et. al.) and include their thoughts on motivation, optimism about the future, and the role or difference that one person can make, culled from their answers to the questions below. Ideally, the even more comprehensive body of work will portray the amazing power of what we can each do to make our communities safer, healthier, stronger.
(Note: Top row is a slide show of images and text as they will appear exhibited; scroll down to more easily read the text.)