Category Archives: News on Street Stories

The Homestretch – A documentary about 3 homeless teens trying to make their way

Posted on by
4

I am excited that the Kickstarter campaign to complete this documentary about three homeless teens has almost reached its goal, but with only 23 days left to go, I want to encourage you to consider contributing to what sounds like an eye-opening look at the struggles kids face on the streets of Chicago every day.  To contribute, please click here.

The Homestretch follows three homeless teens as they fight to stay in school, graduate, and build a future. Each of these ambitious teenagers – Kasey, Anthony and Roque – will surprise, inspire, and challenge audiences to rethink stereotypes of homelessness as they work to complete their education while facing the trauma of being alone and abandoned at an early age.

via The Homestretch (trailer) on Vimeo.

In a recent email from The Night Ministry, CEO & President Paul W. Hamman had this to say about the film:

The film is nearing completion!  We are very excited to work with the filmmakers Kirsten Kelly and Anne de Mare and everyone at Kartemquin as the film rolls out over the next year.

But first, Kelly and de Mare have launched a Kickstarter campaign to finish their fundraising so the film can be completed.  We hope that, in addition to your support of The Night Ministry, you can help them reach their goal.

We strongly believe in this film’s potential to raise awareness around youth homelessness and the work of The Night Ministry and our partner agencies in Chicago.

After viewing a nearly complete version of the film recently, Paul W. Hamann, President and CEO of The Night Ministry, said, “This film deftly, courageously, and respectfully illustrates the complexity of the issues that result in over one million young people experiencing homelessness every year in this country.”

What’s in a Dream? Or Can I Eat Pie and Sleep at the Same Time?

Posted on by
Reply

pieSometimes the smallest most insignificant dreams can make you ask some pretty big questions when you wake up in the morning. Like this one:

I’m in a kitchen and everyone else is eating lemon meringue pie, or other pies and cakes, food that they’d all gone out and bought together, without me.  I wanted some, too, but how could I ask for some when what was there was theirs, not mine? I even contemplate eating the leftovers on the saucers they put by the sink, crusts and half eaten pieces.  But then on second look, I see they aren’t pie scraps at all but watermelon rinds with all the good fruit parts already eaten.

So what kind of symbolism can I see in this small, almost boring dream? They are eating. Do I use eating as a substitute for love?  I was there and accepted by them, but not part of them.  Did I want to eat lemon meringue pie or did I want to be part of them?  Well, I think I know the answer to that. How do I get to be part of them?  What should I do or not do? Who are they anyway?

Or…the dream could simply mean that I was hungry for lemon meringue pie.