HANCEVILLE, Ala. – The Evelyn Burrow Museum at Wallace State Community College will present a free screening of “Community First, a Home for the Homeless,” Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 6 p.m. in the Burrow Center Recital Hall.
One of a series of films from the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Films, “Community First, a Home for the Homeless,” is a documentary about a unique residential development in Austin, Texas, that is transforming the lives of homeless people through the power of community. As explained by founder Alan Graham, “It is specifically designed to lift the chronically homeless off the streets of the Austin area offering them a place to call home, helping them to heal from the ravages of life on the streets allowing them to rediscover a purpose in their lives.”
Community First! Village is not a homeless shelter. Everybody pays rent; there are no exceptions. Residents are given the opportunity to earn a dignified income working at the Village in a variety of areas such as the Genesis Gardens, the Community Cinema (a beautiful amphitheater built by Alamo Drafthouse), the Community Inn, or in the maintenance department. With open access to an “art house” and blacksmith shop, residents get the opportunity to produce handmade goods that are sold in the Community Market.
“Community First, A Home for the Homeless” explores the heartbreaking events that cause homelessness, and the heartwarming stories of being welcomed into a nurturing environment where dignity and self-worth are restored.
Filmmaker Layton Blaylock will be on hand to introduce the film and answer questions after the screening.
The film is one of three final films in a six-film series that began in Fall 2019. The last two films in the series will be “Mossville: When Great Trees Fall” on March 10 and “Who Will Write Our History,” on April 21. All the films are free and open to the public.
For more information, visit www.burrowmusueum.org or call 256-352-8457.
View the trailer for “Community First, A Home for the Homeless” here: https://vimeo.com/277547668
