Afghan Refugee Benefit Safari

Be a Part of Our Benefit Photo Safari at St. Matthew’s Cathedral for Afghan Refugees!

Right now the world is focused on the plight of the refugees from Afghanistan, especially those who helped the NATO forces during the 20 year conflict in that country.

Tens of thousands of these refugees have now been flown to the United States and are awaiting resettlement at various military bases and other locations throughout the country.

Fortunately, a number of private organizations are stepping up to assist. Washington Photo Safari would like to join in this effort by offering a special benefit photo safari to raise money for the resettlement, food, clothing, housing, medical and other needs of these refugees.

As we have done in past years with other benefit photo safaris that have raised over $31,500 for victims of floods, fires, earthquakes, tsunamis and natural disasters around the world, we propose to give participants a free 2 hour photo safari in architectural photography, in return for a donation of at least $100, ALL of which will be given to a nationwide charity organization that is providing services to Afghan refugees all over the country.

That organization is Catholic Charities of the USA, and so we propose to do our benefit photos safari at one of the most beautiful Catholic institutions right here in downtown Washington, DC: Saint Matthew’s Cathedral, the magnificent cathedral in which the funeral for President John F. Kennedy was held in 1963.

Here is a link to the work that Catholic Charities is doing nationwide to help the Afghan refugees:

Our photo safari will take place on the afternoon of Sunday September 12th from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Saint Matthew’s Cathedral. It will be led by Washington photo Safari director and professional architectural photographer E. David Luria, who will give instruction on how to photograph the interior and exterior of houses of worship, a very useful skill to have when traveling!

Here is the process to register for the safari or to just make a donation:

1. Register for the Safari as you normally would, but there is no payment required during the registration process.
2. Indicate in your registration if you are planning on attending the photo safari or just making a donation by choosing Photographer to attend the safari or Donor to just make a donation.
3. Indicate in your registration info the amount you are contributing. $100 is the minimum, more than that is even better!
4. Make your donation – there are 4 options for payment:
   a. By personal check made out to Catholic Charities USA, with a note on the memo line specifying it is for Afghan Refugee Relief. Mail to Washington Photo Safari at 4545 Connecticut Ave NW # 418, Washington DC 20008.(allow 4-5 days for delivery)
   b. By Zelle to edavidluria@juno.com with a note in memo line that is donation for Catholic Charities Afghan Refugee Relief
   c. By Venmo to EDavid-Luria with a note in memo line that is donation for Catholic Charities Afghan Refugee Relief
   d. By PayPal to info@Washingtonphotosafari.com with a note in memo line that is donation for Catholic Charities Afghan Refugee Relief

Every individual contribution will be acknowledged. All checks and payments will be forwarded to Catholic Charities within one week after the safari takes place.

If you are donating but cannot attend the safari, we will send you – with our compliments – a two-page set of very useful tips on interior and exterior architectural photography. This is the handout given to all attendees of architectural workshops like this one. Watch your inbox!

Washington photo Safari is not charging any fee and Saint Matthew’s Cathedral is donating the space free of charge.