In My Father’s House

In MY FATHER’S HOUSE Documentary

NATIONWIDE Premier TONIGHT 

 

October 9, 2015. Tonight A Safe Haven Foundation will be spotlighted at the nationwide premier of the award-winning documentary “In My Father’s House”. In Chicago, the film will be to be released at AMC River East 21 Theatre located at 322 E Illinois Street in the heart of downtown. A Break Thru Films production originally released at the Tribeca Film Festival 2015, this documentary chronicles a journey of homelessness, recovery, and family reunification, and is captured on film by acclaimed New York Directors, Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg.

 

A Safe Haven is featured prominently in the film as the services provided by the organization were vital in assisting the lead character’s father, Brian Tillman, identify and address the root causes of his 25 year struggle with alcoholism. These struggles caused Brian to abandon his son, Che “Rhymefest” Smith, at the age of 12, and contributed directly to his chronic homelessness; however with the guidance of A Safe Haven, and the support of his son and family, he was able to overcome these barriers. As depicted in the film, A Safe Haven’s staff worked with Brian for 8 months from the moment he was dropped off, to the moment the A Safe haven team secured him an apartment to live independently, as his journey in recovery and family reunification continued. Brian’s story brings to light the hardships faced by millions, including the hundred thousand individuals A Safe Haven has assisted since our inception twenty-one years ago.

 

A Safe Haven is an award winning best practice business model, and has been recognized by the White House, and lauded by academia, policy makers and business leaders around the globe for its innovative approach to addressing poverty. The process is robust and rooted by empirical evidence. We conduct comprehensive assessments, and help people address, alleviate and resolve the problems that led to financial crisis and homelessness, whether it is chronic or for the first time. Programming is assessment-driven and may include treatment, education, job training and placement, life skills training, financial literacy, and a myriad of other services structured to help each individual become self-sufficient. These changes also improve the lives of the families that they support and break the cycle of generational poverty.

 

“We are grateful to Brian Tillman and his son, Che ‘Rhymefest’ Smith for openly sharing their story and to the Directors, Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg for capturing it in real time and for telling the story in a meaningful and impactful way. We encourage everyone interested in stories of the homeless, how to help, and what it means to go the distance to make real change, to watch this film. Contact A Safe Haven and we will be eager to help you learn what you can do to make a difference to support a paradigm shift in the way our nation addresses the root causes of poverty and homelessness, in a socially and economically responsible manner,” states Neli Vazquez Rowland, Co-founder and President of A Safe Haven Foundation.