Foundation-Sponsored Groundbreaking Documentary Sheds Light on America's Foster Care System
01 November 2004 - 7:01PM
PR Newswire (US)
Foundation-Sponsored Groundbreaking Documentary Sheds Light on
America's Foster Care System 'The Beat Down Club' Shows the System
Through the Eyes of Foster Children, Encourages Action MCLEAN, Va.,
Nov. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The Freddie Mac Foundation's latest effort
to improve the lives of foster children and spread the word about
America's need for more foster and adoptive parents comes in the
form of a documentary film. "The Beat Down Club," directed by Don
Horwitz and sponsored by the Foundation, is a groundbreaking,
60-minute documentary that exposes many of the realities of
America's foster care system. "The Beat Down Club" takes an
intimate, personal look at what it means to grow up as a foster
child in America as it depicts the foster care system through the
eyes of children and youth. The film introduces viewers to children
in Miami, Boston and Chicago, who tell their stories of the abuse
and neglect that brought them into the system, and of their
experiences within the system. Judges, foster parents, and other
child advocates also provide accounts of trying to work within the
present system for many years. Though many of the stories in "The
Beat Down Club" present a shocking picture of the current foster
care system, there are also success stories that come from the love
and support caring foster and adoptive parents can provide, and the
film looks at the hope these models offer. "Working to find
permanent, loving homes for foster children is near and dear to our
hearts at the Freddie Mac Foundation, so we are thrilled to have
played a part in making "The Beat Down Club" a reality. The film
supports the Foundation's mission by bringing into sharp focus what
happens to children when they are not placed in permanent, loving
homes, and it builds awareness for the great need for adoptive
homes," says Maxine B. Baker, president and CEO of the Freddie Mac
Foundation. "It is critical to listen to children in foster care if
we are to correct the problems that plague the system," says
Horwitz, who filmed the documentary over a period of four years.
"For this film, we interviewed hundreds of children in foster care
around the country to get an idea of what it is like to live in
foster care. We had to build trust with all of these children.
Afterwards, we were emotionally drained, but it was worth it
because we ended up with a film that represents the majority of
children in the system. This was the most difficult project that I
have ever worked on," added Horwitz. Nationwide, nearly 550,000
children are in foster care and 126,000 of those are available for
adoption. Children generally stay in the system for almost three
years before either being reunited with their families or adopted.
More than 20,000 children never get to leave the system -- they
remain in foster care until they "age out," never having
experienced a stable environment in which to grow and learn. The
problems with foster care and the sadness of these children's
plights affect the whole community: 30 percent of homeless people
and 80 percent of the prison population were once in foster care.
Permanent adoptive homes can help foster children and the country.
"The Beat Down Club" will be airing on PBS stations throughout the
country starting in the month of November, to coincide with
National Adoption Month. In addition, premieres are taking place in
key cities, including the nation's capital on November 4, 2004. The
screening in Washington, DC will take place at 7:30 p.m. at The
Fairmont Washington. In conjunction with this documentary, the
website fosterlinks.org has been created as a call to action, to
help guide people through the sometimes overwhelming process of
helping improve a foster child's life. Visitors to the site will
meet foster children, learn about the system in an educational
section and explore different ways to become involved in a foster
child's life. Links connect to programs, grants and opportunities
that are available throughout the country. In addition to the
Freddie Mac Foundation, current link partners include National
CASA, National Foster Parent Association, The Dave Thomas
Foundation, CWLA, and Congressional Coalition on Adoption. The
Freddie Mac Foundation focuses on strengthening families by
preventing child abuse and neglect, helping find foster children
adoptive homes, and developing youth. In addition to sponsoring its
signature programs -- Healthy Families America, Wednesday's Child
television program that helps foster children find permanent homes
and J.C. Nalle Community School -- the Foundation supports the
community by providing funds for various non-profit organizations
serving children and their families. Created by Freddie Mac in
1991, the Freddie Mac Foundation is dedicated to opening the doors
to hope and opportunity for children and their families. As one of
the largest corporate funders in the Washington, DC metropolitan
area, Freddie Mac and the Freddie Mac Foundation have invested
nearly $217 million in organizations serving the community.
DATASOURCE: Freddie Mac Foundation CONTACT: Patricia Fuentes of
Freddie Mac, +1-703-903-3504 Web site: http://www.freddiemac.com/
http://www.fosterlinks.org/
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