Pacific Palisades Front Porch Project Photographer Robin
Aronson Shares Series in Partnership with the Palisadian-Post
By ROBIN ARONSON | Contributing Writer
I started the Pacific Palisades Front Porch Project for various reasons. The most important one was my desire to help people who were—and still are—struggling during these very uncertain times.
I thought the best way for me to do that was to raise money for the Westside Food Bank. I was first introduced to WSFB through my synagogue in the Palisades, Kehillat Israel. As a member for over 20 years, it was during my son’s bar mitzvah when I learned that our congregation used fruit as decorations in the sanctuary instead of flowers. Each week, the fruit is donated to the WSFB. That was over nine years ago.
Currently, the WSFB is distributing more food than ever to meet the great need for assistance during this pandemic. Food insecure people are facing new challenges in obtaining enough nutritious food in light of the social distancing requirements, stay-at-home order and risk of exposure to the coronavirus.
Every dollar raised by the WSFB is equivalent to four meals. I raised over $17,000—that is over 68,000 meals! This could not have been achieved without the generous donations from my home community—thank you to all the families who participated in the Front Porch project.
For more information about the Westside Food Bank, go to wsfb.org.
The Geller Family
This picture was the first professional picture with just me and my beautiful children. You see, my husband passed away a year and a half ago, and we have gone through so many painful firsts without Damon.
With each first we get through, I think we come up a bit stronger, a bit more resilient. We so wish this is not the way it had to be because we miss him so much. But with each challenge, we realize how much we still do have.
Our love and bond are such a gift, and quarantining has only made that bond stronger. This is not to say it has all been rosy. In fact, it has been one of the most difficult things we have had to figure out without a husband, for me, and a father for my son and daughter.
But that strength and bond will never be realized if it was all easy. Thank you for capturing this moment in time for us!
—Lili Geller
The Davis Family
Quarantine with three children has been challenging, especially with a toddler! But the kids have actually done remarkably well.
I sometimes get so sad thinking about how they can’t see their friends or go to school or eat at their favorite restaurants, but this time with them at home has actually been quite special.
Of course, my husband and I get frustrated with them, and finding peace and quiet to do our own work is near impossible, but we feel so grateful to have our health, our jobs and our home.
We’re constantly looking for ways to help others in the community and aside from getting snapshots of our crazy crew at this moment of time, we wanted to help raise awareness and money for the Westside Food Bank.
—Juliana Shallcross Davis
The Collar Family
COVID-19—and the resulting disruption to our lives—has been a truly mixed bag.
On good days, I love the cozy feeling of having us all at home and appreciate the relaxed time around the dinner table, with no need to juggle schedules. I am cooking and baking more, and enjoying taking walks as a family.
But along with this gratitude is the keen awareness of the upheaval and suffering this virus has brought and, on a selfish level, how much each of our kids has been impacted. Not every minute of every day has been harmonious.
Jackson is having to adjust to living at home again after the independence and freedom of being at college in Scotland. Campbell couldn’t have guessed that his senior year of high school would not include any senior activities, or that his commencement ceremony would be held at a drive-in movie theater in Riverside! Asher’s year as one of the big kids on the yard at elementary school came to a screeching halt without any of the normal fifth-grade activities and celebrations.
The kids do not enjoy virtual learning and they all miss the camaraderie of school. As with kids across the world, they face the prospect of a summer wiped clean of plans and an uncertain fall.
But we are healthy and safe. We live in the beautiful Palisades with the cleanest air in a long time, plenty of food—and toilet paper! This time has given us all a chance to slow down, take a breath and appreciate being together—most of the time.
We are confident it won’t be long before our lives are once again going a-mile-a-minute, and this pause will be just a memory.
—Lynn Savory Collar
Robin Aronson can be found at robinaronsonphotography.com or Instagram @RobinAronsonPhotography.
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