Photojournalist Heads To Ukraine To Make Documentary, Ends Up Serving Food To Refugees, Lviv Residents
WINCHESTER (CBS) -- Freelance photojournalist Ed Quinn just returned home after spending three weeks in Poland and Ukraine. He was there to document the refugee crisis -- and he said there is no shortage of subjects and stories.
"The amount of refugees was endless. It's overwhelming and these people need so much," Quinn said. "You saw tremendous sadness, resilience and orderly, they were not complaining no fighting, pretty impressive."
But what began as a documentary, turned into a humanitarian mission for Quinn. He exchanged his camera for a pair of serving utensils and began to feed thousands of refugees with a chef he met along the way.
"Arrived about 5 a.m., set up, and served all day. We served until the food was gone. It served 4,500 people each time," he said.
He served more than 9,000 people chicken Goulash.
"It's really nice to get a hot meal. We quickly served. These weren't all refugees, there are hungry people in Lviv and they were happy to have us there too," he said.
Quinn said he captured these photos for the world to see and bring attention to what's really happening in Ukraine. "I remember an elderly woman in a train station and in her 80s exhausted leaning on her cane," he said.
From capturing photos to serving those in need, Quinn said his experience is one he will never forget.
"You go to do something. I know it's not the pure journalistic way to get involved like that but I don't care," Quinn said. And he hopes to return again in the near future to help some more.
