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Join State of Opportunity for a screening of 'American Winter'

flyer advertising documentary film American Winter

Join Michigan Radio's State of Opportunity Project on Wednesday, May 8, at 6:30 p.m. at the Ypsilanti District Library (map) in the Whittaker Room for a screening of the documentary "American Winter." And stay for the conversation afterward with reporters from the Michigan Radio's State of Opportunity Project and Jeff Brown, State Director from Communities in Schools. 

"American Winter," a documentary filmed over the course of a season in Portland, OR, follows eight families struggling to make ends meet in the aftermath of the worst economic recession since the Great Depression. With the assistance of the United Way 2-1-1 service, we hear the emotionally stirring stories of families as they face economic challenges and stereotypes about what it means to slip from the middle class and into poverty. 

The experiences of the families in "American Winter" are a vivid illustration of what has been happening to families across America, including working families losing their homes, people who remain jobless or underemployed, children going hungry, families getting their heat shut off in the dead of winter, and people with health issues overwhelmed by medical costs. 

The film debuted on HBO to great reviews for the moving stories it tells about the failing of the social safety net as it impacts children and their families. Check out this "Marketplace" report and NPR interview with some of the parents interviewed. 

This screening is FREE and open to the public. 

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