Daylon

Eighteen month-old Daylon looks like a children’s store model. Peter is a Napoleonic War buff, and Natacha is a single mom whose happiest days were the days her children were born.

All, at one time, lived at Emmaus Family Shelter, a homeless shelter in Haverhill and all are featured in the “Faces of Homelessness” exhibit currently on display on the walls of the corridor on the ground floor of the E Building on the Haverhill campus. The 18, 18 x 30 inch, black and white portraits are the works of local news photographers Allegra Boverman and Jim Vaiknoras. They were printed by Michel vanRavestyn, owner of Foto Factory in Haverhill.

Each photo has an accompanying card introducing the individual featured. The photos  will remain on the Haverhill campus through Friday, December 2, before being moved to the atrium of the Dimitry Building, Franklin St. on the Lawrence campus where it will hang until January 2.

Joaquin

A board explaining the project is displayed on an easel at the start of the exhibit.

The exhibit was originally unveiled during Emmaus’ 14th Annual “Paving the Road Home” breakfast back in September.

“This powerful photo exhibit reveals the beauty of the human spirit.  Each one of the adults and children pictured were Emmaus clients when their photographs were taken. For most people, becoming homeless represents one of the darkest and most difficult periods of their lives. Yet, when we look at these photographs, we see joy, pride, hope, and love. We see ourselves,” said Margot Regan, events, marketing, and communications at Emmaus Inc. “These photographs demonstrate the diversity of a group of people who share the common bond of

Natacha

homelessness: a former cheerleader and gymnast, now the mother of two young children; a courageous woman fighting cancer; a proud, loving mother reassuring her shy little girl; a strong, weathered-looking man with a winning smile and a sparkle in his eye; a determined high school student who plans to become an aeronautical engineer. These are your children, parents, neighbors, and friends. These are the faces of homelessness.”

Emmaus is the largest provider of emergency shelter in Essex County. Since 1985, Emmaus has helped more than 27,000 children and adults out of homelessness and toward self-sufficiency. Last year, Emmaus served 2,179 children through its shelters and housing programs, and on any given night, 300 adults and children will call Emmaus “home.”

For additional information about this exhibit contact Regan at margot@emmausinc.org