Well, I just got back from my third trip to LAND. I found some really nice articles and historical things that I will post up here as soon as they are scanned. I went with Diana, and we went to look for any kind of news articles or anything showcases how HomeSource has grown from being a tool loan program to what it is today. These articles, along with the photos taken on my first visit, and the video compiled on the second trip, will make up the bulk of media on my page. My apologies to not having much multimedia up next, I like to work once I have all the materials, and now I do. Diana has a scanner, so she took the photocopies we made, so those materials will be up soon and we'll be able to post some online here.

A picture essay of HomeSource

*Note: I recently edited this post because I realized that because I pasted these photos directly from Pantherfile they were not viewable. So I have re-posted them in a PhotoBucket slideshow, my goal was to post them so they could all be seen at once, but, I am happy with how the slidehow looks. I hope you enjoy!

You'll have to excuse my randomly assorted pictures on this blog, as I am not exactly a pro at using blogspot yet, and I am working on a Mac, and usually I am on a PC. Without my right click I feel most crippled. But, here are a few pictures from my last visit to the LAND's HomeSource. HomeSource is a wonderful program where low-income residents of Milwaukee, who want to fix up their homes, can come and get supplies and appliances at a fraction of the cost. These aren't secondhand goods either, a lot of what is available at HomeSource is of a very high quality and new. The oddest item that HomeSource ever received was a$5000 tub from Kohler with gold legs. The items most in demand are ovens and refrigerators. This restrictive blog program doesn't do my lovely powerpoint justice, but overall I think these photos can convey the different items available and how HomeSource is set up. Up front is the storeroom, while the bulk of items available are back in the warehouse. The storeroom holds smaller items and showcases nice cabinets and such.

This is my artist statement, it describes what I experienced taking photos.

This was the first time I ever used pictures to really convey a deeper meaning, and I found the experience exciting and fulfilling. The story of HomeSource is one that is quite inspiring, and listening to the people who work there made it come more alive than even walking around the storeroom itself.
Putting together the essay was quite simple, PowerPoint is easy to use and a great tool to show the different aspects of HomeSource. I tried to focus on the history and day-to-day logistics of HomeSource. I included information on when it was founded, the warehouse, and what items are most in need.
The information I received by interviewing Toni (who heads LAND), Terri (who works at HomeSource), and Jimmy (who heads the warehouse). It was great to hear from three different people all very much involved in HomeSource, but who work from different areas. Walking around the warehouse and seeing the amount of items is really something, but then hearing Jimmy talk about all the items and how he maintains them and the warehouse really taught me more. It was evident to see how proud he was of all that HomeSource was accomplishing and how much pride he took in the warehouse. Terri talked about how a lot of the recent customers have been women who really want to fix up their houses. This struck me as interesting because in my head when I picture people fixing up their homes I see mostly men. Toni talked about how HomeSource has really grown, and it was clear they have big goals for the future. She talked about their efforts to grow their membership, its clear from walking around and documenting the storeroom and warehouse that they have lots to offer, and how she really hopes that our documentation helps LAND and HomeSource. That gave me a great sense of purpose, and I hope in my final project that I can contribute more and show all that LAND, and more specifically HomeSource, has to offer and is doing in the Lisbon area community.