Champions of Hope

On September 23, 2021, Turning Points for Children, Philadelphia's most prominent human services agency, hosted its annual gala, "Champions of Hope." Turning Points partnered with the Philadelphia Film Society to hold the event at a drive-in theater in South Philadelphia's Navy Yard. When guests arrived, they were given popcorn and a meal while enjoying three short films followed by a feature film. Our job was to concept, film, produce, and edit the branded video packages focusing on two of Turning Points' programs: Food and Wellness Network (FAWN) and foster care programming.

The two short documentaries premiered with great success. The first documentary, "The Story of Angel" centered on family fostering with hopes of adoption. We traveled to the Philadelphia suburbs and spent a peaceful day peering into Angel's life with his new family. Seeing Angel thrive in his new home tells an emotional journey, reiterating that children need stability and a safe, loving home to blossom. Chronic poverty has plagued neighborhoods in the great city of Philadelphia for decades. Sharing this story adds a layer of hope.

"The systems are wonderful, and programs are wonderful, but nothing replaces a family. Nobody is going to fight for that child as much as a parent will."

The Covid-19 pandemic forced many existing food pantries to close their doors. The second documentary features FAWN, Food and Wellness Network, a fast-paced, mission-driven team that acted and opened pop-up pantries in the city's most vulnerable areas. Through passionate volunteers, FAWN offers free nutritious food and other resource connections for families in need. We spent the day documenting their work in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. The branded video demonstrates the power of volunteers, community, healthy food, education, and the dire need for more programs like FAWN.

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