BUILDING HOPE
a documentary film by Richard Kane and Melody Lewis-Kane
BUILDING HOPE shows us that there is hope to ending the suffering of homelessness.
The stories are complex and hard to bear. The lack of affordable housing, substance use disorder, anxiety and depression, despair and lack of self esteem, domestic abuse, trauma, poverty, encampments, prison time, lost loved ones, brutal weather. How can this happen in “the richest country in the world”? This long U.S. reputation has brought throngs of asylum seekers escaping the fear of cartels and dictators, yearning to be free, hoping for a better life.
This is what BUILDING HOPE is about even though it’s hard to believe that there is hope. But there is.
We can all make a difference.
photo by Gerald Campbell with permission
Synopsis:
BUILDING HOPE brings to audiences around Maine and beyond that there is hope to ending the suffering of homelessness. The film begins with the story of Aneyva, a 30-year old woman with two children, a former early childhood educator with two college degrees. The pandemic caused her to lose her job, her home, and her children and she now lives in Bangor’s Tent City, homeless.
“I’d just like to know how people can kick the homeless out of being homeless?” Aneyva, Bangor Tent City
Amelia, an employed, hard working contractor, suffered the trauma of domestic violence leading to her loss of housing. After two years of homelessness with her high school- aged daughter, she found the help of Homeworthy, formerly the Knox County Homeless Coalition, and now has a home, continues in her job, and has re-started her apothecary business.
James, whose grandmother found him a paper route was making $100/week. His friends dealing cocaine were making $4-500/day. So he went to work delivering drugs which led him to being “popped” by the cops. He spent nearly 25 years in prison. Homeless when released he found help with a Housing Navigator from the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter. Now, with the help of a government Section 8 voucher, he has an apartment owned by Community Housing of Maine (CHOM) in Bangor and a job at Chipotle.
“We’re right on the precipice of having unsheltered homelessness become the norm… we are really taking a step further away from a civilized society.” Cullen Ryan, Community Housing of ME
BUILDING HOPE explores these stories and more of those caught in the daily crisis of homelessness. With the help of respected state advocates, many have risen above their circumstances to find housing and jobs and are becoming productive members of society. Others, due to mental illness and substance use disorder, have yet to succeed.
Today, it is even more difficult due to the dearth of affordable housing and the influx of asylum seekers taking up so many of the beds at our cities’ shelters. The film explores the whys and the hows our society can heal the suffering. Maine’s Speaker of the House Rachel Talbot Ross talks about her own vulnerabilities growing up, and now the $100 million dollars that she has led the state to invest in affordable housing. Maine Independent Senator Angus King addresses the inadequacies of our minimum wage and the government tax incentive bills he co-sponsors to give confidence to developers to create affordable housing and emergency shelters. Developer Kevin Bunker, the force behind building Portland’s new Homeless Services Center and the new Asylum Seekers Center, talks about the root causes of inequality in our system.
Preble Street’s Mark Swann laments over his City’s sweeps of encampments, yet his hope “springs eternal.” Community Housing of Maine’s Cullen Ryan makes crystal clear the damage that is done both to individuals without housing and to our society as a whole.
“I think the average person needs to get informed, not just get angry that there are encampments, but get angry that we’re in a society where that’s OK.”
Mark Swann, Preble Street
A “voice from poverty”, Dr. Donna Beegle, closes the film with the plea: “There’s nothing that matches making a difference for your fellow human beings. … Let me use what’s in my hands … to see if I can’t leave you in a better place.”
“We’re spending billions on the symptoms of poverty. We could invest in kids, we could invest in adults and save money.” Dr. Donna Beegle, Poverty and Coaching Institute
Learn what we can each do to make a difference. There is hope.
“Having personal experience of the challenges of staying in a home … whether you’re trying to pay the utility bill, or your rent.” Rachel Talbot Ross, Maine Speaker of the House
“There’s not a single county in the United States where a person making the minimum wage can afford a two bedroom apartment.” U.S. Senator Angus King
SCREENING SCHEDULE:
• December 7, 2024 3pm, Unitarian Universalist Church of Ellsworth, 121 Bucksport Rd, Ellsworth, ME 04605. FREE. Hosted by UU Church Ellsworth Reverend Sara Hayman. Panel discussion to follow: Rota Knott, CEO, Downeast Community Partners; Dr. Elizabeth True, Vice President of Student Affairs at Eastern Maine Community College; Tracey Hair, former director of H.O.M.E.; Mark Worth, Maine legislator, former minister at UUCE; and Melody Lewis-Kane, BUILDING HOPE film producer. Sponsored by Families First, Downeast Community Partners, and UUCE.
• December 8, 2024 Time TBA, First Congregational Church of Blue Hill, 22 Tenney Hill, Blue Hill, ME. FREE. Hosted by the First Congregational Church of Blue Hill. Panel discussion to follow (TBA).
• December 11, 2024 5:30, Berwick Public Library, 103 Old Pine Hill Rd, Berwick, ME, FREE. Panel discussion to follow: Moderator: Veronica Ulery LICSW MLADC - substance abuse/addictions; Susan Austin, Director of the Ryan House Project (teen homeless shelter); Maine Senator Joe Rafferty; Susan Austin - The Ryan House Project; Wendy Anders, mental health, drug and rehab counselor, Senior Director, Sweetser; Dean Klein - Executive Director of Continuum of Care Maine; Noel Bonam - Maine Housing; ; .
• December 13, 2024 5:30pm The Strand Theater, Rockland. Panel includes: Joseph Hufnagel, director The Landing Place; Melody Lewis-Kane, Building Hope film producer; others TBA. Sponsored by Homeworthy, The Landing Place, the Strand Theater.
• December 14, 2024 3pm Portland Museum of Art. FREE. Panel includes: Maine House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross; Cullen Ryan, director Community Housing of Maine; Andrew Bove, LCSW, Preble Street’s Vice President of Social Work; Melody Lewis-Kane, Building Hope film producer. Sponsored by Community Housing of Maine and Preble Street.
• January 16, 2025 11:30am - 1pm, State House Welcome Center, corners of Capitol and State Streets, Augusta, hosted by Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross, panel discussion to follow with: Speaker Talbot Ross; Cullen Ryan, director of Community Housing of Maine; Greg Payne, Governor Mills’ Senior Advisor, Housing Policy; others TBA.
• January 19, 2025, 3-5pm, First United Methodist Church of Bangor, 703 Essex St, Bangor, ME, Panel TBA
• January 19, 2025, Matinee, Center Theater for the Performing Arts, 20 East Main St. in Dover-Foxcroft. Panel TBA
• Other locations in Maine TBA including: Belfast; Waldoboro; Damariscotta; Bar Harbor; Farmington; Winterport; Bethel; Waterville.
• If you would like to have this film screened in your community, please contact us at kanelewisproductions@gmail.com
• Setting up free screenings at theaters, churches, libraries, and colleges.
PAST Screenings:
• November 2, 2024 6pm Boreal Theater, 215 Penobscot Ave, Millinocket, ME 04462 (207) 560-5256. Sponsors will be Katahdin Collaborative +TBA. Panel discussion will follow screening.
• September 19, 2024 6:30pm Alamo Theatre, Bucksport, Maine FREE. Panel includes: Tracey Hair, former director of H.O.M.E; Dr. Katie Spencer White, President & CEO of Midmaine Homeless Shelter & Services; Rep. Ron Russell, Maine Legislature on the Housing Committee; and Melody Lewis-Kane, “Building Hope” film producer. Donations accepted for continued distribution.
• June 29, 2024 4-6pm, Preview, UU Congregation of Castine
MAJOR SUPPORTERS:
UU Congregation of Castine Opportunity Fund, WERU 89.9 Community Radio (Media Sponsor), Maine Community Foundation, First Congregational Church of Blue Hill, Heart of Maine United Way, and many individuals.
PRESS
• Front page article in the BDN, June 28, 2024:
• Newscenter Maine 207 story first aired September 18, 2024
https://www.newscentermaine.com/search?q=Building+Hope
RESOURCES:
Expert Panelists who lead discussions post screenings include: Cullen Ryan, director Community Housing of Maine; Tracey Hair, former director of H.O.M.E, Inc.; Dr. Katie Spencer White, Pres. and CEO of Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter & Services; Rep. Ron Russell, Maine Legislator from Bucksport, Housing Committee; Joseph Hufnagel, director of The Landing Place; Rota Knott, Executive Director, Downeast Community Partners, others TBA
