Better Life in Recovery - Documentary Trailer and Non-Profit Update

This is the trailer for the upcoming documentary Better Life in Recovery. We are letting people tell their stories who have struggled with alcohol, substance abuse, cutting and eating disorders. That is an incomplete list, for in the stories of all of these people you find out that there were struggles with depression, anxiety, Bi-Polar, isolation, peer pressure, childhood sexual abuse, physical abuse, rape, parents/siblings who abused drugs, legal issues, not fitting in, suicide attempts, hopelessness, etc.

All of these stories have many things that are peculiar to each person, but there are also commonalities. The one common theme that we are wanting to get as many people to hear as we possibly can is that there is a Better Life in Recovery. All of the people in the documentary are Finding A Better Life Exists. They all have found hope that they want to share with others, and that hope was found after they struggled with life controlling issues and overcame them.

This is only the trailer after our first round of filming. We have filmed another round since then, and they too were very powerful stories. From dealing dope to dealing hope, people are discovering that they can gain control of their lives after thinking that they were beyond help. By sharing these stories of Real People with Real Problems we are going to make an impact. We have several more rounds of filming that will be done before editing begins.

After this documentary we will be filing another one of parents who have lost children to addiction. It will share their stories, what they have learned and statistics on youth. We are not only trying to reach our youth, but their parents and the people who interact with them as well. I am tired of seeing people die due to the consequences of their addictions and mental health, and we are going to help put an end to this with your help.

We are going to take these documentaries as well as mentor training and teaching people how to spot addiction and mental health issues before it is too late into communities. We want to reach as many people as possible, but we are going to need your help to do this!

In order for us to make an impact on as many people as possible, we have needs. So far my wife and I have fully funded this, and that has gotten a little expensive. If you can help in any way, please let me know. Here are the areas where we really need some help:

1. We need $1,000 to file for non-profit status so that we can begin fund raising to take this into communities: schools, colleges, churches, seminars, conferences, rehabilitation centers, juvenile centers, youth groups, etc
2. We need a web site designer to help us with the web design. We know what we want it to look like but do not have the expertise to create it.
3. Volunteers aged 18-25 who have struggled with alcohol, substance abuse, cutting and eating disorders and overcame them that would be willing to share their story. We are in dire need of ethnicities. 
4. Parents who have had children who have struggled with addictions and either overcame them or have passed away to share your knowledge with other parents and community members who want to make a difference so that they know what to look for and better ways to deal with struggles when they see them occurring.
5. Board Members -  Must be passionate about what we are doing and willing to introduce us to those you know who can help. If interested contact us for a board member packet so you can fill it out and get it back to us. 
6. An attorney to help us file for the non-profit and look paperwork over for us when needed.
7. An accountant to help us keep track of everything financially
8. Grant writers
9. Community leaders, politicians, administrators, parents, teachers, professors, principals, pastors and youth leaders to help get us in to begin showing the documentary presentation when completed. We are hoping to be ready by Spring or Fall of 2013. We will have questionnaires that will be filled out, pre and post, that will allow us to see if there are changes in the attitudes of those we show it to. This will help us validate why we should receive federal and foundation grants. 
10. Graphic Designers for logos, posters, pamphlets, DVD covers, etc. 
11. Internet technology to design stunning Facebook page and other social media to attract attention to the program.
12. If you would like to donate anything: works of art, restaurant and other business gift certificates, hotel/resort rooms and gift certificates, season and one day passes to shows/museums/plays/amusement parks, tickets and season passes to games, movie tickets, dance lessons, free tans, autographed books/cds/posters/dvds/musical instruments/sports memorabilia, gift baskets, massages, hair cuts, martial arts lessons, you having dinner with the highest bidder, etc for door prizes and silent auctions contact us. 
13. Original music or music that you give us permission to use for the documentaries as well as a possible fund raiser CD.
14. We need bands to donate a set or two for fundraisers. 
15. We need sites donated for a concert and silent auction.
16. Politicians, radio media, television media, pastors, youth ministers, teachers, principals, school counselors, substance abuse counselors, administrators, bloggers, authors, actors, musicians, parents and professors: WE NEED YOU!! We are here to help you and you can help us by fundraising to bring us to your community and by word of mouth. We need you to speak up to your congregations, student bodies, viewers, reasders parents and constituents. Contact us and we will gladly do interviews or talk at community events, seminars, colleges, businesses, clubs, small groups, schools and churches. Let them know what we are doing and get them our information so that they can help. My goal is for this to be the most viewed blog that I have ever written so that thousands of people hear about what we are doing. PLEASE SHARE THIS ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, IN BLOGS, ETC.!!