Our Story
Photography has the power to make an impact in many different ways.
In the summer of 2017, photographer Tarik Trad traveled to Columbia, Missouri, with more than 50 pounds of camera equipment, to experience and capture what has become known as the Great American Solar Eclipse.
Upon returning home to California and sharing images on social media, his friends suddenly wanted to buy his eclipse collage image.
Around the same time, hurricanes were ravaging the Texas coast, Florida and Puerto Rico.
Tarik was suddenly struck with an idea. While he usually gave away his fine art photography to friends and family, what if he sold some of these eclipse prints – signed and numbered them – and donated the money for disaster relief?
So, he did. And, in just a few weeks, he raised enough money for local food banks to feed more than 60 people – in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico – three meals a day for an entire month.
And, just like that, an idea was born.
“Photography has the power to make an impact in so many different ways. It has always been my intention to use my photography as a way to give back to the community and, somehow, try to make the world a better place.”
Because of COVID, 40 percent of Americans have experienced food insecurity for the first time.
At Focus Relief, ending hunger in the U.S. is at the heart of our mission. When you invest in our limited-edition, gallery-quality photography, all profits go to community food banks.
FOCUS RELIEF is proud to support community programs whose primary focus is addressing the issues surrounding hunger across the country. As an example, we are based in Los Angeles County, which has the largest food insecure population in the United States. We must do better.
Addressing Hunger
We support humanitarian organizations that meet our criteria by providing communities with programs addressing hunger in America. Some of those programs include:
Children's Nutrition Programs
No child should go hungry. These organizations help fight childhood hunger through innovative initiatives, such as healthy meals and nutrition education for kids in afterschool meal programs.
Summer Meal Programs
Programs that provide a nutritious lunch during the summer to children who would normally access their midday meal at school during the school year.
Senior Nutrition Programs
Seniors are particularly vulnerable to hunger. These programs provide seniors with nutritious food.
Nutrition Education
Programs that work to educate and inform children, adults and seniors about the importance of healthy nutrition and lifestyle choices.
Client Assistance Programs
We support programs that offer assistance in applying for state-funded social and health services.
Teachers Aid
Programs that provide school supplies for teachers in low-income schools, ensuring an enriching classroom experience for children already experiencing instability in other aspects of their lives.