“Urban Roots” Film Screening
 Benefits Local Community Kitchen
Saturday, November 12 at 4:00 pm, Free
Santa Barbara City College, West Campus,  Fe Bland Auditorium

Casa Esperanza announces organic community garden program,
 commemorates National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week November 12th – 20th


 Donations will be accepted at the door and all proceeds will benefit Casa Esperanza and the Community Kitchen

Santa Barbara, CA, October 31, 2011—Casa Esperanza Homeless Center is hosting the Santa Barbara premiere film screening of “Urban Roots” in recognition of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. Admission is free and open to the public.

“Urban Roots is an inspiring film about the emergence of urban farming in Detroit; it shows what’s possible after the collapse of the industrial era and how we begin building a sustainable future for all.” – Leonardo DiCaprio

 
Casa Esperanza is showing their participation in National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week (November 12-20^th) with a newly planted community garden – facilitated by a formerly homeless Detroit donor, in collaboration with Noey Turk, owner of Yes Yes Nursery, in Santa Barbara. 

‘Farmed’ by staff, volunteers and members, the year-round garden will help supplement Community Kitchen meals with fresh seasonal produce. 365 days a year, Casa Esperanza’s Community Kitchen is open serving Santa Barbara’s hungry, homeless, and those at risk of becoming homeless.  The program provides up to 600 meals a day. Casa Esperanza offers a wide array of services for the homeless, with an emphasis on emotional and physical health.

 

*** EVENT/MEDIA ADVISORY ***

 

WHO:          Casa Esperanza and Community Kitchen staff; Community Garden job trainees and volunteers; community leaders;

 

WHAT:       Santa Barbara premiere film screening of “Urban Roots”. Admission is free and open to the public. Donations are accepted at the door and all proceeds will benefit Casa Esperanza and the Community Kitchen.

 

WHEN:       Saturday, November 12, 2011; 4:00 p.m.
                 

WHERE:     Santa Barbara City College, Fe Bland Auditorium (use West Campus entrance from Cliff Drive)

 INFO/RSVP: RSVP online at www.casa-esperanza.org or Rob Grayson (805) 884-0123

 

MEDIA CONTACT: Media Contact, Juliana Minsky (805) 687-3322

 

“Casa Esperanza and the Community Kitchen are an important safety net for people who are hungry or homeless, but we also play a major force in getting people back to productive lives with programs like our new community garden which will provide job opportunities and job training for our members.” said Rob Grayson, Casa Esperanza Director of Development. “We hope this powerful movie will inspire people to look closely at our relationship with food and how local community gardens and farming can create opportunities for our community,”

 

“Urban Roots” is the next documentary film from Tree Media.  Produced by Leila Conners (co-producer of “The 11^th Hour” with Leonardo DiCaprio) and Mathew Schmid and directed by Mark MacInnis, the film follows the urban farming phenomenon in Detroit.  “Urban Roots” is a timely, moving and inspiring film that speaks to a nation grappling with collapsed industrial towns and the need to forge a sustainable and prosperous future. 

 

About National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week

National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is a cause-related event that originated at Villanova University in 1975. In 1989, the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness took on co-sponsor duties. Every year, one week before Thanksgiving, a number schools, communities and cities join forces with the organizations in a nationwide effort to bring about a greater awareness of the problems of hunger and homelessness.

 

About TreeMedia and “Urban Roots”

Tree Media Group was founded by sisters Leila Conners Petersen and Nadia Conners when the emergence of new technologies allowed for a more democratic dissemination of ideas. Tree Media Group has consistently worked on projects that examine global transformation, conflict resolution, care & sustainability, the environment, cultural catalysts and progressive movements.

 

About Casa Esperanza

Casa Esperanza assists homeless individuals and families to achieve self-sufficiency, by helping as many as possible access the services they need to transition to stable employment and housing. Casa Esperanza is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Offering a wide array of services for the homeless, with an emphasis on both emotional and physical health, 12 different program partners collaborate to bring recovery to the homeless — all under one roof.

 

For more information about Casa Esperanza, please visit the website at www.casa-esperanza.org .  For questions about the “Urban Roots” screening please contact Rob Grayson at (805) 884-0123.
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