We still need a Baltimore Non Profit to make our monthly free booth donation to!

Each month we donate a free photo booth to a Baltimore area non profit that is doing good work to better our city and help our residents.  In the past we have donated to Back on My Feet Baltimore, Playworks Maryland and The National Aquarium in Baltimores conservation department.  But it's almost the end of January and we haven't donated a booth yet!  

The weather is icky and I think everyone is still worn out from the holidays, so we are deferring this months booth to be used at a later date.  But we need your help selecting a great, worthy, wonderful non profit to reach out to.  

The booth can be added to an already planned event such as a bash or happy hour, or it can be used to springboard planning a new fundraising event.  Heck, we don't even mind if it's auctioned off to the highest donation!  

The selected charity will receive an in-kind donation of a 3-4 hour open concept digital booth, a custom digital border that incorporates their info,unlimited shares of photos by guests, real time uploads to the organizations social media sites as they are taken, all images on a memory card at the end of the event and other perks. 

If you know if a charity that would benefit from the addition of a booth at one of their events, please reach out to us by email, FB or twitter.  We are open to all ideas big and small!

Info@baltimorephotosocial.com
@BmorePhotoSocia
Facebook.com/BaltimorePhotoSocial 

For more info about Baltimore Photo Social, please visit us here or here. 


 

5th Annual Back on My Feet Bash!

 

 

 

Who wakes up to run at 5:45 am?

Baltimore Photo Social was honored to be a part of the 5th Annual Back on My Feet Bash, Tuesday night at the Baltimore Marriott Inner Harbor at Camden Yards.  As the biggest fundraiser of the year for Back on My Feet Baltimore, they pulled out all the stops to make it a memorable night.
The Bash brought out a crowd as diverse as I could imagine.  CEO's mingled with current and former homeless people; socialites with business owners and volunteers.  No matter what their background, It was clear that each attendee was dedicated to the goal of Back on My Feet: 

"to use running to help those experiencing homelessness change the way they see themselves so they can make real change in their lives that results in employment and independent living. "

BoMF was started in 2007 by Anne Mahlum, an avid runner living in Philadelphia.  Running past the Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission at 13th & Vine Streets in Philly, Anne gradually built a rapport with the men she saw standing outside each morning. After many waves, greetings and jokes, she realized that if running could help her through her own personal challenges, including a gambling addicted father and the damage it created in her young life, there was no reason it couldn’t help these men through their struggles.  On the day before Independence Day, 2007, Anne decided to test her idea by inviting 9 men, the original Back on My Feet members, to join her in her morning run.  To ensure their dedication and commitment, Anne had them sign a Dedication Contract, each agreeing to "arrive on time, and with a positive attitude, three days each week at 5:30 a.m."  To show her own dedication, Anne signed the contract as well.  And with that first run, Back on My Feet was born.

Keynote speaker Roderick Taylor

Baltimore was the second chapter created of what is now 11 chapters including Austin, Boston and Washington DC.  In the years Back on My Feet has been operating in Baltimore, they've helped, on average, 46% of Residential Members (those who are homeless when they join) to achieve regular employment and housing. Now Alumni members, many still run with their teams to provide encouragement and support to new members and, of course, to continue to feel the comradery that running with the team gave them.  The keynote speaker at The Bash, and 2012 Residential Member of the year, was one such alumni member, Roderick Taylor.  Taylor joined BoMF in March of 2012, after living in at The Baltimore Station, a residential treatment program for homeless and addicted vets.  Taylor ended up at The Baltimore Station after a routine traffic stop landed him in jail.  After joining BoMF, he took to running quickly and within a few months had completed his first half marathon.  Soon after, he enrolled in Baltimore City Community College and began training for his first full marathon. In Oct 2012, he completed the Baltimore Marathon, his first, in an impressive 4:18 and will graduate from BCCC in April with an Associates Degree in Respiratory Care.  

Rodneys speech brought tears to the eyes of most people in Tuesdays audience, including my own.  With grace, he shared his appreciation to Back on My Feet and his teammates on McVets.  He was humble and genuine and made it clear that without Back on My Feet, he expected to end up like his father, dead on the streets of Baltimore.  

So the question was:  Who wakes up to run at 5:45 am?  And the answer is this:  Dedicated and passionate people who are committed to taking control of and improving the quality of their lives. 

The event was able to raise over $70,000, almost 100% of which will go back into the BoMF Baltimore operating budget.  At $1800 per year per residential member, BoMF will be able to help 38 new members reach their potential in the next year.  The majority of money raised will be put back into the program thanks to generous donations by many local Baltimore business including Baltimore Photo Social.  The delicious dinner was provided by local hotels (Baltimore Waterfront Hotel, Marriott Inner Harbor at Camden Yards and Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace); DJ Urban Cowboy kept the dance floor full; Render Perfect Productions provided an inspirational video and photography was courtesy of The Waire House.

Baltimore Photo Social has included Back on My Feet Baltimore in our Smile.Share program.  If you are planning to book a photo booth for your next event, and have been moved by the BoMF story, you can save up to $100 on our service by donating $50 to them.  Click on the link for more info.

For more information about Back on My Feet or to Donate, click here. 

For photos from the event, click here and here.

For more information about Baltimore Photo Social, please visit us on Facebook or: 

wwwBaltimorePhotoSocial.com

Rock the Boat-Benefit Happy Hour for the National Aquarium in Baltimore.

Rock the Boat was held aboard the USS Constellation 

in Baltimore's Inner Harbor.

Last Wednesday the skies cleared and the sun came out to shine just in time for Rock the Boat, an annual benefit happy hour for the National Aquarium in Baltimore's Bay Conservation efforts.  Baltimore Photo Social was happy to be a part of this fun and beneficial event.  Running 9 years strong on the USS Constellation (except for 2007 when it was too windy to board), Rock the Boat is planned by the conservation management department of the Aquarium.  100% of proceeds from the event support conservation efforts throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  Approx 100 people attended the event and enjoyed food and beverages provided by Unos and Of Love and Regret, a Canton Pub.  J3K, a local musical trio, donated their time to provide entertainment for the evening. 

As anyone who lives in Maryland knows, the Chesapeake Bay is an important part of our ecosystem that is often abused and overlooked.  In addition to being a world class education center, The National Aquarium in Baltimore plays an integral part of maintaining the health of the bay for future generations.  Tree planting, shore cleanups and habitat development are just a few of the crucial activities the staff at the Aquarium spearhead.  Additionally, the staff often rescue, rehab and release hurt and lost animals; Guiness the Seal and Rudolph the Sea Turtle owe their happy lives to the generous people of the Aquarium.

And of course, even though they host over 1.3 million visitors each year, the Aquarium practices what they preach by making thoughtful choices to conserve, reduce waste and build healthy communities.  Wonderful institutions like the National Aquarium in Baltimore are one of the reasons I am proud to call Baltimore my home.




If you weren't able to make it to Rock The Boat but would still like to donate, please go here. Or if you are more of a hands on type person, sign up as a volunteer.

To view all of our photos from the night, click here.  And don't forget to like our page!!

For more information about Baltimore Photo Social, please visit us on Facebook or: 

wwwBaltimorePhotoSocial.com

Hallows Eve Beer Bash and Costume Ball-A Benefit for Believe in Music

Believe in Music benefit:  Hallows Eve Beer Bash and Costume Ball at the Maryland Science Center

The Saturday before Halloween is always jam packed with awesome events, and this year Baltimore Photo Social got to be a part of one of the most awesome-est:  Hallows Eve Beer Bash and Costume Ball.  The sold out event, held at the Maryland Science Center, was a benefit for Living Classroom Foundations Believe in Music program.  

Founded in 2012 by Kenny Liner of The Bridge, Believe in Music is a program aimed  

"to uplift underprivileged Baltimore City students academically, culturally, and spiritually, while promoting self-expression and community awareness through music education."

As a part of Baltimore Beer Week, the event was sponsored by Flying Dog Brewery who provided tons of delicious locally brewed libations to over 600 thirsty guests.  Attendee Alison Johnson said it best:

"I cannot think of anything more fun than being cut loose in a museum of gadgets with an (almost) open bar."

Almost everyone was in costume.  We spotted at least 3 Walter Whites, a few Mary Poppins, the cast of Star Wars, Smurfs, Frye and Lela from Futurama and of course all sorts of super heroes, cats, witches and skeletons.   It was noticeable that most female attendees were more concerned with impressively creative costumes than the typical "sexy ___" that have become so obnoxious over the last few years.   Maybe that is because the event was held at the Science Center?? 

If you got there early enough, a free finger food buffet was provided by Mothers Federal Hill Grille.  'Newtons Alley', 'The Shed' and 'Follow the Blue Crab', permanent museum exhibits, were open  for guests to meander through, maybe learning a little something along the way.  For those lucky enough to score one of the limited upgrade tickets, the internationally touring exhibit 'Mummies of the World' was open and complimented by a spooky Halloween soundtrack.  If science wasn't your thing, bands like The Herd of Main Street, Psycho Killers and The Manly Deeds kept the night rocking.  The 360 HD Planetarium was turned into a dance party, DJ's spinning all night under the milky way.  Scott Mullins, WTMD Dirty Soul Party DJ, lent his old school vibe by broadcasting live from the VIP lounge.  And of course, yours truly with the Baltimore Photo Social booth was boogying and taking pictures all night.   

Make sure you follow 'Believe in Music' on FB to be notified when tickets go on sale next year-You definitely do not want to miss out!

And now, here are some of our favorite photos from the night.  You can see all the photos from the night here.

For more information about Baltimore Photo Social, please visit us on Facebook or: 

wwwBaltimorePhotoSocial.com

F*ck Forks @ The Taste of DC Loft!

Industrees premiere pop-up event, F*ck Forks, at the Taste of DC loft.  A benefit for @LetsFCancer.

 

Baltimore Photo Social was fortunate to be a part of this amazing event last night at the Taste of DC loft. With chefs from Cava Mezza, Equinox and The Red Hen, a savory smell of truffles and butter was in the air. Finger foods were abundant and drinks were flowing courtesy of Jon Arroyo (Farmers Restaurant Group), Sam Babcock (RANGE), Trevor Frye (Jack Rose Dining Saloon) and Glendon Hartley (Cava Mezze). There were treats for the eyes as well: beautiful red roses by EDGE Floral Event Designers and a live painting performance by ArtJamz.  And of course, guests flocked to us to have their photo taken to remember the event!

All of these wonderful things were brought together as a benefit for F*ck Cancer (www.letsfcancer.com)  F*ck Cancer is a non profit organization focused on changing the way society perceives cancer 

"from something we wait to get and pray there’s a cure to something we’re actively working to prevent, actively looking for and finding when it’s most curable."

This event wouldn't have been possible without the expert organization of Industree, who are most known for their speaker series for event and restaurant professionals.   

"Industree serves as a bridge where there hasn't been one, and is committed to bringing the restaurant industry together in various formats to learn, grow, share, and connect through stories and the issues that face them moving forward in DC."

Founded in 2013 by Alisia Kleinmann, the organization has two main goals:   

"to bring the hospitality community together as just that - a community - and to always find ways to give back to the non-profits within that community through powerful philanthropic efforts."

Baltimore Photo Social has a similar motto: that business owners and organizations have a responsibility to society to leave positive influences in all that they do.  It was a pleasure working with other forward thinking remarkable people and we had a great time doing it.

And now, here are some of our favorite photos from the event!

Guests instantly viewed their images on our ipad.

A moose hat is a great way to get a large groups attention.

The Taste of DC loft is a unique event space!!

The two happy owners of BPS!!

Alisia K of Industree getting her photo on!

Why was everyone pointing at me??

For more information about Baltimore Photo Social, please visit us on Facebook or: 

wwwBaltimorePhotoSocial.com