One of the most important ways to have a large impact in life is by focusing on communities that are ignored and overlooked. These communities are often the ones most in need of help, tools, and services but for a variety of reasons the largest players in most industries chose not to work on serving them. We’ve been so touched by the thousands of members of our community who are working on serving the underserved from tackling food deserts to building empowering solutions for the neurodiverse. Each week, you’ll find us highlighting folks serving underserved communities.

Zey Chalz

Our Non Profite Shine Lite Foundation, is built to provide children from single parent households Positive Black Male Role Models. I own a transportation company and I kept encountering women, and sometimes even men struggling to raise their children alone, and struggling to survive. Poeple, especially children should not have to struggle in sucb a wealthy nation, or anywhere for that matter. As a father and husband I felt I had to do something to correct this very common issue. Read more>>

Austin Anthony

In late July a record shattering flood snaked through 13 counties in eastern Kentucky. Quaint hillside creeks became torrid bottlenecks, taking homes off of their foundations and depositing the pieces miles away. The New York Times hired me to photograph the damage and to try to tell some of the story. I spent 4 days following the different creek paths down to the hollers flooded with standing water. I saw several of the estimated 17,000 damaged homes. I saw search and rescue teams looking for and finding a few of the 39 deceased. And I saw FEMA securing temporary housing but only approving compensation for about half of applicants (so far). Read more>>

Arlene Lopez Martinez

Historically, most funding and services to individuals with autism have targeted young children through diagnosis and early intervention. Once a child becomes school age, their services are provided by their school which leaves out those who cannot be served in their community school due to higher needs. It is when the person graduates from high school that funding and services severely decline. Read more>>

Darryen Richardson

It’s definitely been one of my goals in life to assist people that look like me. I am not just speaking about skin color but also speaking about the ones who drop out of school, never make it to college, don’t fit in specific social groups because of expansion of taste, those who are limited to a specific environment and may have a handful of knowledge but not exactly sure how to apply it or take that to the next level because there is no one else around to set that example. Read more>>

Brittany Gidley

One of our favorite ways to give back- is by donating our time and talents to families in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Being a registered nurse in the NICU for 8 years before starting the photography business, I saw firsthand how much of ‘normal newborn’ life was sacrificed when you have a baby with special needs. Our goal with providing these little loves with images started as a way for families to remember the blur-of-life in the NICU that was their beginning. But it really grew into a way to showcase the strength of these babies & the miracles that God performs daily in that very special piece of the hospital. Read more>>

Velinda Humphreys

I have a client with multiple sclerosis and confined to the bed. She is unable to get up and shower let alone go to the salon for hair care services. When her family reached out to me her hair was so tangled and matted that it took 3 hours for service. She previously had someone coming out to the house but they were using dry shampoos which is for temporary use, I actually have a bedside basin that I use. It can be challenging servicing the elderly and disabled, I have back aches often because it is not always the most comfortable situations, but I love it and would not have it any other way. Read more>>