What sparked my interest in documenting this was listening to families speak with one another at the Amherst Family Center. I work there weekly and I overhear at least two or three conversations each week about money issues and the stress it is causing. I overheard one mother say, "I go to the Survival Center now with the kids sometimes for lunch, it's not so bad once you get over the fact that you're actually there." Another mother spoke of Food Not Bombs, an organization in Amherst that collects food goods for the poor. It's astonishing that families have turned to services that were created for homeless people.
I plan to photograph the very real struggles families are dealing with, and the changes they have made. Whether it be having to give up one car, buying generic brand groceries, or even something as drastic as seeking help from the Survival Center, this issue is relatable to almost everyone who has to count every penny nowadays.
Some documentaries I found:
My photos will be different as they will not focus on children, but the changes families have had to make in this economy. However, I think my photos will encompass the general idea that these photos are trying to get across, that we think of the U.S. as a land of prosperity when what really exists in some places is extreme poverty.
I have contacted two families from my job who have agreed to let me photograph them. The first is Erika Loper and the second is Sarah, a single mother of two young children.
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