Goods for Good Benefit February 1st:Award-Winning Celebrity Photographer Exhibits Work for a Good Cause
Award-winning celebrity wedding photographer Brian Marcus, of Fred Marcus Photography, is pleased to present Malawi: Images of Progress, an exhibit and auction to benefit Goods for Good (G4G). In March of this year, Brian travelled to Malawi, East Africa to document the work of Goods for Good, a (501)(c) nonprofit organization matching surplus goods from the United States with the needs of orphans and vulnerable children in the developing world. On Monday, February 1st, Brian is showcasing the photographs from his trip at Chelsea Art Museum from 7:30-10:30PM. Proceeds from the evening will directly support the work of Goods for Goods, including their program in Haiti.
Whom You Know learned of this fabulous event from our even more fabulous Movers and Shakers Laura Livingston Rubin and Melissa Kushner. Be sure to read about them!
The title of the show refers to Goods for Good's motto: Making Progress out of Excess. Since 2006, G4G has rescued and delivered 120 tons of school supplies, clothing, shoes and other essential materials to over 510,000 vulnerable children in Malawi and Haiti. Many of the items that G4G ships were either gathering dust in a warehouse or slated to be destroyed. On the other side of the world, these same products have an immeasurable worth to disadvantaged children and their communities. "40% of students in Malawi dropout of school by the fourth grade many do so because they can't afford basic school materials like a pen and a school uniform," explained Melissa Kushner, Founder and Executive Director of G4G. By providing children and their communities with the basic tools required to receive an education, they will have the chance for a better future. Since distributing pens and notepads to the children, we have seen a 30% increase in school attendance across schools supported."
Brian, who has been involved with Goods for Good for a number of years, became so inspired by their work that he decided to visit their program sites including several under-resourced public schools, orphan care centers, and community organizations, to document the progress that was being made in these communities. Upon his return to New York, Brian felt compelled to share his photographs with the public in order to raise awareness about the struggles of disadvantaged children in Malawi as well as the strength, motivation and resourcefulness of the communities he visited. "My experiences in Malawi were emotional and exhilarating and changed who I am as a person," Brian explained. "Goods for Good has truly changed the lives of the children they serve and if my photographs convey that, then I consider my trip a success."
About Brian Marcus
Brian Marcus is the third generation to represent the photography legacy of Fred Marcus Photography Studio in New York City- the leading name in wedding photography for more than half a century. Brian has been a professional photographer for 10 years, working both in the United States and abroad, and has been featured in publications such as New York Magazine, GQ, Studio Photography and Design, and Gotham Magazine. Among the hundreds of events that Brian photographs each year, he has shot many celebrity weddings including Billy Baldwin to Chynna Phillips and Joey McIntyre of New Kids on The Block.
About Goods for Good
Goods for Good (G4G) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2006 to promote the educational and emotional development of vulnerable children in developing nations. Through partnerships with U.S. companies and grassroots organizations abroad, Goods for Good is able to provide much needed school supplies, clothing, as well as health and hygiene products to children in need while at the same time reducing waste at home. G4G has offices in NY and Malawi. For additional information please visit www.goods4good.org.
