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Moms Living Clean
Advocating for justice, dignity and reform for vulnerable families.

This feature documentary-in-progress
reveals the transformative effect an innovative residential substance abuse treatment program has on six mothers and their young children interwoven with drug policies that impact pregnant and parenting mothers.

"I was living out of a car with my kids, warrants for my arrest and no place to go..."  RACHEL

Moms Living Clean sheds light on the issues and individuals exploring opposing ways of dealing with substance abuse ~ treatment vs incarceration.  The film chronicles six mothers in a women and children’s residential treatment program over three years, from entry through transition, where they learn recovery and good parenting skills, and attempt to become self-sufficient.  There is Rachel, a victim of abuse, who wrestles with expressing her truth.  Lisa S recently in prison for using and selling drugs develops a sense of responsibility for her daughter.  Leslie struggles to forgive herself for her past prostitution and gain a feeling of pride.  These intimate stories are told against the backdrop of America’s war on drugs and its impact on pregnant and parenting mothers with substance abuse problems. 

You can help us combat
the stigma and stereotypes impacting these vulnerable moms and kids. 
Your generous donation now will help us complete the film for launch in 2009.  Moms Living Clean will inspire women and men in recovery, and promote whole-family treatment, where mother and children stay together, as an alternative to sentencing mothers to prison and their children to foster care.

Click on the Donate button to make a credit card donation in any amount through safe/secure PayPal.  With a $100 donation your name, or someone you designate, will be in the credits of the film.   You will receive a Thank You letter in the mail from the filmmaker, Sheila Ganz.

For information on how to make your donation tax-deductible click here .
  Thank you for your generous support!

America’s war on drugs, has had little affect on supply and demand.  However, since the 1986 mandatory sentencing laws, incarceration of women has skyrocketed 400% and 800% for African American women.
                                         - 66% of incarcerated women have minor children
                                         - 80% of women in prison have substance abuse problems


      Being a parent is one of the hardest jobs in the world and being a parent in recovery is ten thousand times harder.  You’re going to be dealing with all of the regular dynamics and a lot of wreckage issues.  I caused those issues.  They didn’t have to be there.”  LISA R

If you are seeking help with substance abuse issues call the Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment Referral Hotline: 
                                       
1-800-662-HELP or 1-800-662-4357


To be on the mailing list for future events email:
momslivingclean@att.net

To read about the people in the film click on their photo.

 
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"Thank you for making the documentary Moms Living Clean and for including the Center Point women and children in this extremely important project.  We are hopeful that it will bring attention to the issues which our clients deal with everyday and that the film will help this program and others like it to continue for many years to come."
                                         Dr. Sushma D. Taylor, Chief Executive Officer
                                         Center Point, Inc.


Filmmaker, Sheila Ganz is a recipient of the 2006 Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute's Angels in Adoption™ Award for her documentary Unlocking the Heart of Adoption and activism for openness and honesty in adoptionPress Release


Please contact us at: 415.564.3691 or momslivingclean@att.net if you or your group would like to host a fundraising screening.  To make a tax-deductible donation to help with production of this film click here.  Thank you!

Funded in part by: Pacific Pioneer Fund, Lucius and Eva Eastman Fund, Open Meadows Foundation, Inc. and Individual Donors.  Non-profit fiscal sponsor: San Francisco Film Society.



(c) 2008 Sheila Ganz