Families are the backbone of any community, and they come in all forms. And no matter their circumstances, most parents want the best possible future for their children. Last year, I was introduced to the amazing nonprofit organization 5 Steps to Five, a local parenting program that works with families in the Spanish-speaking community of Port Chester, NY. Recognizing parents as a child’s first and most important teacher, their mission is to support parents in nurturing their baby’s brain development. The ‘five steps’ – nurture, talk, play, read, explore – are modeled by trained facilitators to help build cognitive, verbal, emotional and social skills.

Studies show that a baby’s brain grows at an astonishing rate – 80% of its total size in the first three years alone. And, if that brain doesn’t get properly nurtured in those early stages, it is much more challenging, if not impossible, for a child to reach their full potential later in life. Children who live in underserved communities are especially at risk. 5 Steps to Five supports and empowers parents to give their children the best possible start to school and to life.

As a photographer, I have the opportunity to give back to communities in a meaningful way, and it got me thinking about how I could donate to this organization. I’m fortunate, and thankful, to work with lots of families who have the means to pay for professional photographs, but there are many who don’t, so I came up with the idea of offering complimentary portrait sessions to the families who attend the program. They were gifted with all their photos, and 5 Steps to Five generously donated an 8×10 print to each family. A special “thank you” to all the wonderful staff members and volunteers who supported the idea, who helped schedule the sessions and made everything run so smoothly on the day.

Here are just a few of the 31 lovely families I got to meet back in March – so many happy faces!

Photography is not only a way to capture memories and moments in time, it also has the power to tell stories, evoke emotions, and connect people, and I think we made that happen!

3 sisters with their babies!

If you are interested in learning more about the organization, please visit 5 Steps to Five. From now until May 25, 2023 they are running a special spring fundraiser in honor of 5/25 – 5 Steps to Five Day. Every dollar donated means two dollars will go towards early childhood brain development. To give to this great organization, please click here!