In June, celebrity photographer Linda Solomon came to Memphis to show 15 children living at the Salvation Army’s Purdue Center of Hope how to use disposable cameras.
It wasn’t just a way for them to spend their day. Their goal was to use the cameras to take a photo of something that they wished for. And what these kids — the victims of physical abuse, broken homes, drug-related environments — wished for wasn’t fancy cars, or big homes, or iPods.
On the “wish list” sheets the kids filled out, 11-year-old Rodriguez hoped “for my grandfather to come back alive.” Eleven-year-old Cairolto’s dreams included “curing illness and saving lives.” And 9-year-old Jarmine said her main dream was “to see my Dad again” (he had been in prison for years).
Solomon helped the kids figure out how to capture those elusive dreams with photographs. With a grant from General Motors, one photo from each child was then printed on a holiday card, above their specific dream. Inside, each card reads “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”
Memphis was just one of 11 cities across the country chosen to be a part of the “Pictures of Hope” project. Boxes of 15 cards are $20 each. For more information about the project and to order cards, visit the Salvation Army website.