Josephine Herrick Project
Formerly RTP (Rehabilitation Through Photography)

The Josephine Herrick Project is a nonprofit that enlists photographic community volunteers to educate students who have not had the opportunity to learn the communicative power of photography. Through partnerships with local organizations, JHProject’s completely free programs inspire children, teens, adults and seniors with the visual language of photography, enhancing their abilities to transform communities through artistic vision.

Josephine Herrick Project is pleased to announce Harmon Kaplan of Secaucus, New Jersey as the grand prize winner in the “Sony NEX Digital Camera Giveaway” on Facebook

 


Harmon Kaplan Grand Prize Winner

Josephine Herrick Project (JHP) – April 29, 2013 JHP announces the grand prize winner in the “Sony NEX Digital Camera Giveaway” on Facebook.  Congratulations to Harmon Kaplan the lucky winner!

To enter, contestants had to go to Facebook and like the newly launched JHP’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JosephineHerrickProject The contest ran from March 27, 2013 through April 10, 2013.  The results were amazing increasing mentions for JHProject Facebook page from 877 to 183,869 and adding 429 new fans!  The Sony NEX Digital Camera was a coveted prize.

Our grand prize winner, Harmon Kaplan, a talented photographer, dentist (retired), and Veteran discovered his passion for photography at age 9, inspired by his father’s photography. He currently runs a free photography group at the Secaucus Public Library, and truly enjoys sharing photography with others. Kaplan states, “most of all, photography has been my constant companion and friend for a long, long time!” This is what Josephine Herrick Project strives to bring for anyone who has not had the chance to experience just how therapeutic photography can be in every way. We are proud to give this camera away to a talented photographer who has always had an undeniable passion for photography, and will utilize his talent to help inspire others. Josephine Herrick Project sincerely thanks Sony for their generous donation, and again, congratulations to Harmon Kaplan!

 

About the Sony NEX-7

Our grand prize is more than a pocket camera, the 24.3 megapixel NEX-7 exceeds expectations.  Here’s performance that would give most DSLRs camera envy, including interchangeable lenses, a 2359K dot OLED eye-level TTL viewfinder, up to 10fps shooting, and outstanding Tri-Navi™ 3-dial manual control.  HD movies are superb with Full 1920 x 1080 resolution at 60p, 60i and 24p. For more information visit: www.sony.com

About the Josephine Herrick Project

Today, the Josephine Herrick Project, Enhancing Lives through Photography, continues to partner with Veteran Administrations as well as schools, social service agencies and like-minded nonprofits.  Following her model, volunteer photographers educate underserved populations throughout the New York City area.  Thanks to the support of the photography industry and corporate and foundation grants, JHP continues Herrick’s mission with free programs, exhibitions and publications that inspire children, teens, adults and seniors with the visual language of photography, enabling them to transform communities through their artistic vision.  Some of the current partners include: Birch Susser School for Exceptional Children, the Block Institute, Cartwheel Initiative, Creedmoor Psychiatric Center, Fresh Art, IUDU School for Students with Special Needs, Jewish Union Foundation, University Settlement House, Millennium High School, International High School, Warrior StillShots, and U.S. veterans in Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx.

Josephine Herrick Project is entirely supported by tax-deductible donations from individuals, corporations and foundations and is a registered 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.

 

 

Josephine Herrick’s Letter to Eastman Kodak Company, 1959

(Above, WWII soldiers at a VA hospital participating in JHP’s, photography services, hand coloring their photographs from hospital beds)

The beginnings of the Josephine Herrick Project, as you know, started with Josephine Herrick’s founding of VSP, or Volunteer Service Photographers.

In 1959, Josephine wrote to Eastman Kodak to petition to hang photographs of student work at the Eastman Information Bureau in Grand Central Station. The photographs she wished to have displayed were hand oil-colored by students of VSP because they were originally shot in black and white. Many times students would paint from their hospital beds, as well as many other unconventional situations. This way, participants were able to create and keep busy while confined under less than ideal circumstances.

Today, Josephine Herrick Project, formerly VSP, follows that same philosophy of bringing equipment and material directly to the student’s environment, whether a hospital, school, community center or housing shelter.

Below is the actual letter. Click to enlarge.

JHP and Brooklyn’s Block Institute: Developmentally Disabled Students Learn Self-Expression Through Photography

The Block Institute, based in Brooklyn, New York, was founded in 1961 by Rabbi Block who decided to work with mentally challenged adults who had been denied the right to attend bar mitzvah classes. Since then, the Institute has established a health clinic as well as several programs for both adults and children. While receiving the care they deserve from the Block Institute, the Josephine Herrick Project (formerly Rehabilitation Through Photography) began a complementary program to help these people tap into their creativity through photography. By providing photo gear and professional photographers to teach classes, the Josephine Herrick Project helped to free the Block Institute attendees from the social stigma of “developmentally challenged” and discover their inner talent. These photography programs became a huge success in more ways than one: not only did the students learn to creatively express themselves, but it gave their therapists and teachers extraordinary insight into how their patients and students view the world around them. This moving short film provides a closer look at what the Josephine Herrick Project has done in conjunction with the Block Institute. We look forward to creating many more successful programs like this one at the Block Institute so we may better understand the world around us through the artistic vision of everyone!