The Front Steps Project was created by a fellow photographer from Needham, MA.  The purpose of the project was to bring us together virtually when we might feel isolated due to the Coronavirus pandemic.  I decided to join #thefrontstepsproject as I felt it was a great way to give back to my community as well as spread a bit of happiness in such an unsettling time in history.

The response I received was overwhelming & I was able to capture 115 families in the 2 weeks that I was able to go out & photograph.  There was no charge for the service, but instead a “Pay It Forward” suggestion of making a donation to the Upton or Mendon Food pantries to help the most vulnerable in our community.  I don’t have a total that was donated yet but hope to be able to get that information to share with you all.

Social distancing precautions were followed, where I’d beep the horn when I drove up & I stood at least 10 feet away & directed the families for the photograph.  I loved driving up & seeing small children looking out their front door waiting for me to arrive.  For many it gave them a reason to get up, shower & feel “normal” again if even for a moment.  Others embraced the PJ mentality and were photographed “as is”.   Either way the families were amazing and embraced having fun with some of the photos.  I’d take a smiling family photo & then ask if they wanted to show how they were truly feeling about the shelter in place order & being isolated from others.  Some wanted to be silly, some bored, frustrated, angry, it ran the gamut.

Overall it was a wonderful uplifting experience for me, the families AND the townspeople who were able to view the images on social media.  Thank you to everyone who participated!