The Community Build Project in Port Townsend, WA, is a wonderful nonprofit that is “a community-started and community-run organization that mobilizes volunteer resources to build projects that will benefit those who are underserved in the community”. Their first major project was Peter’s Place which is a “temporary tiny house village in Port Hadlock, WA. The village, Built in Partnership with Bayside Housing & Services and with the Community United Methodist Church, temporarily houses twelve residents.” On July 31, 2021, they are having an Open House so residents can learn more about The Community Build Project for the unsheltered and to meet the amazing volunteers who created Pat’s Place and other tiny homes for the unhoused in the area. To help raise awareness, they are also hosting a Virtual Screening of Community First, A Home for the Homeless during the week of July 25 - August 2. What they are doing up there in the Port Townsend area is awesome, and I hope you’ll consider helping them by participating in their virtual screening. Just think what could happen if every community came together like this!
PBS Broadcasts Monday, June 28 & Tuesday, June 29 in New Orleans!
Here’s another great PBS broadcast announcement! On Monday, June 28 and Tuesday, June 29, Community First, A Home for the Homeless will air in New Orleans on two different PBS channels:
Monday, June 28: WLAE at 7:00pm
Monday, June 28: WLAE-2 at 11:00pm
Tuesday, June 29: WLAE at 1:00am
Tuesday, June 29: WLAE-2 at 5:00am
Check back for more future broadcasts!
PBS Broadcasts on Idaho Public Broadcasting World Channel June 12
We have some more great broadcasts coming up this Saturday, June 12 at 10:00pm on Idaho Public Broadcasting World Channel which covers Spokane/Coeur d'Alene, ID (KCDTDT4/KUIDDT4), Boise (KAIDDT4), Idaho Falls (KISUDT4), and Twin Falls (KIPTDT4). Here’s how Idaho PBS describes the World Channel: “Takes viewers across the globe, providing news, public affairs and documentaries from across Idaho and around the world.”
PBS Broadcast Schedule Week of June 1-7 Includes Boston & Indianapolis
We have some great PBS broadcast dates and locations of Community First, A Home for the Homeless this week:
Tuesday, June 1 at 6:00pm in Indianapolis on WIPBDT (Ball State PBS),
Thursday, June 3 at 8:00pm statewide in New Hampshire on NHPBS (which can also be seen in Boston on WENHDT & WEKWDT and in Burlington, VT on WLEDDT)
PBS Broadcast Statewide in Connecticut Saturday, May 22nd at 2:00pm.
Community First, A Home for the Homeless will air statewide in Connecticut on Saturday, May 22 at 2:00pm on CPTV Spirit. CPTV Spirit is a new channel created to help people explore their passions. CPTV Spirit programs maintain trademark PBS values of curiosity, community, and the celebration of all aspects of individuality. Thanks CPTV!
A Very Special Letter!
This past Saturday, May 8th, I received an email from Alan Graham, CEO of Mobile Loaves & Fishes, that contained a hand written letter from a prison inmate that was addressed to “Mr. Graham”. I would like to share some of that letter here:
“Recently I watched a documentary on my local PBS station about your community Mobile Loaves & Fishes and your mission. In fact, I’m still watching it now, I just couldn’t wait to write this letter. I think I needed a break from crying. I guess my heart was empty and tired. I was wondering what my purpose on this earth or whether I would get a chance to truly make a difference. In the last hours I have cried so many times and I can say my heart has softened and it is full.
I am certain you hear from many who were touched by your story or the movie but I don’t know if you will hear from someone who is incarcerated, in Virginia. I won’t spend time telling my story here but I will say after almost seven years in prison and potentially many more you have given me a gift, the movie, the testimonies have inspired me in a tangible way that I have struggled to find.
I work a job here as the chaplain’s assistant working to serve the various religious communities here. I only make 45 cents per hour and work 30 hours a week. I wanted to send your group some money. I just feel led to do it, I know it is not much but I hope it can help, maybe? Maybe it will give testimony to you about how far Mobile Loaves & Fishes can go.
I pray that we can find some way to treat others and our community at large the way you all are in Austin. Thank you, this guy will be forever changed by Community First and I may never even visit. I will tell everyone I know about what you are doing.”
He signed the letter and included a $25 money order. At 45 cents an hour working 30 hours a week, that represents almost two weeks of wages. I (we) made this film to help introduce Community First! Village to the world and receiving such a heartfelt, handwritten letter from a prison inmate is another indicator that we’re making some inroads.
Really Big News About the Village & KLRU Airs the Film Again!
Community First! Village is growing! Yesterday, April 14, Mobile Loaves & Fishes announced that Phases III & IV of the Village will break ground in the summer of 2022, adding a combined 127 acres and 1,400 new homes. The expansion grows the total size of Community First! Village to 178 acres, more than triple the current size of the development, on which 1,900 micro-homes will exist for men and women who are coming out of chronic homelessness, along with those who provide support and care for them. I am overjoyed by this development! What a game changer this is. Community First! Village is truly the model for transforming the lives of our homeless brothers and sisters.
Ever since Community First, A Home for the Homeless started airing on PBS in February, we have had a great response from across the country. And again, after the hundreds of broadcasts on the World Channel in April. Based on the feedback, I am so encouraged that there will be a multitude of Community First! Villages popping up around the nation. Nothing would make me happier!
WITF in Harrisburg, PA will premiere Community First, A Home for the Homeless on Sunday, April 18th at 3:00 pm.
Austin’s KLRU will air the documentary for the second time on Monday, April 26 at 8:00pm. Both broadcasts have been in great time slots. Thanks KLRU!
Community First on the World Channel April 6-10 in 110 Markets!
Next week the World Channel (previously called PBS’ World Channel) will air Community First, A Home for the Homeless in 110 markets across the US including all of the top 20 markets and 46 of the top 50! This is a massively long blog because of the massive amount of cities where our documentary will be broadcast between April 6 and April 10 as part of the World Channels’ April theme of “community”. There are over 600 airdates covering more than 80% of the US. In most cities it will air on March 6 between 4:00pm and 7:00pm, on March 7 between 7:00am and 10:00am, and March 10 between 2:00am and 5:00am. There are some major differences from station to station so please check your schedule!
Here is the list of the cities and the stations:
New York City (WLIW World), Los Angeles (PBS SoCal/KOCE World), Chicago (WTTW World and Create), Philadelphia (WPPT World), San Francisco (KQED World), Atlanta (GPB/WGTV World), Houston (KUHT World), Washington (WETA World and WNVC), Boston (GBH World and NHPTV WENH World), Phoenix (KAET World), Seattle (KCTS World), Tampa (WEDU World), Minneapolis (KWCM World), Detroit (WTVS World), Denver (RMPBS KRMA World and RMPBS KRMZ World), Cleveland (WVIZ World), Sacramento (KVIE World), St. Louis (KETC World), Indianapolis (WTIU World), Pittsburgh (WQED World), San Diego (KPBS World), Nashville (WCTE World), Salt Lake City (KUED World and KUEW World and KUES World), San Antonio (KLRN World), Columbus OH (WOUB World and WOUC World), Milwaukee (WMVT World), Las Vegas (Vegas PBS World/Create), Grand Rapids (WGVU World and WGVK World), Jacksonville FL (WJCT World), Jacksonville GA (GPB/WXGA World), Oklahoma City (OETA/KETA World), Birmingham AL (APT/WBIQ World and APT/WCIQ World), Norfolk VA (WHRO World), Albuquerque (KNMD and PMPBS/KRMU World), Louisville (KET/WKMJ World), New Orleans (WYES World), Memphis (WKNO World), Ft. Myers/Naples (WGCU World), Fresno/Visalia (KVPT World), Richmond VA (WCVE World), Mobile, APT/WEIQ World), Pensacola (WSRE World), Little Rock AETN/KETS World and AETN/KEMV World and AETN/KETG World), Albany NY (WMHT World), Tulsa (OETA/KOED World, Knoxville (WETP World and WKOP World), Dayton (WPTD/Think TV World), Spokane (KSPS World), Coeur d’Alene (KCDT World and KUID World), Des Moines (Iowa PBS/KDIN World and KTIN World), Roanoke (WBRA and WMSY), Omaha (NET/KNYE World and Iowa PBS/KBIN World and KHIN World), Flint/Saginaw (WDCQ World), Springfield MO (KOZK World), Charleston WV (WVPBS/WVPB World), Rochester NY (WXXI World), Portland ME (MPBN/WCBB World and MPBN/WMEA World), Huntsville AL (APT/WFIQ World and APT/WHiQ World), Colorado Springs (RMPBS/KTSC World), Cape Girard IL (WSIU World), Chattanooga (WTCI World), Champaign (WILL World and WSEC World), Savannah (GPB/WVAN World), Cedar Rapids (Iowa PBS/KIIN World and KRIN World), El Paso (KRWG World), Ft Smith AR (AETN/KAFT World), Burlington VT (VPT/WETK Plus, WVER Plus, WVTA Plus, WVTB Plus), Littleton NH (NHPBS/WLED World), Tri Cities TN-VA (Blue Ridge PBS/WSBN World), Boise (Idaho Public TV/KAID World), Davenport (Iowa PBS/KQIN World), Lincoln (NET/KUON World and NET/KHNE World), Johnstown/Altoona (WPSU World- Penn State U), Sioux Falls (South Dakota PBS/KUSD World, KCSD World, KDSD World, KESD World, KTSD World, NET/KRNE World), Augusta GA (GPB/WVAN World), Fargo (KCGE World, KFME World, KJRE World, KMDE World), Lansing (WKAR World), Springfield MA (WGBY World), Macon (GPB/WMUM World), Peoria (WTVP World), Monterey/Salinas (KQET World), Montgomery (APT/WAIQ World, WDIQ World, WGIQ World, WIIQ World), Columbus GA (GPB/WJSP World), Chico/Redding (KIXE World), Medford (KFTS World and KSYS World), Duluth (WDSE World, WRTP World, KBME World, KDSE World, KQSD World, KSRE World, KWSE World), Topeka (KTWU), Monroe/El Dorado AR (AETN/KETZ World), Sioux City (KSIN World and NET/KXNE World), Rochester MN (Iowa PBS/KYIN World), Erie (WQLN World), Joplin (KOZJ World), Albany GA (GPB/WABW World and WACS World), Terre Haute (WUSI World), Idaho Falls (KISU World), Missoula (KUFM World and KUKL World), Binghamton NY (WSKG World), Bluefield/Beckley (WVPBS/WSWP World), Billings (KBGS World), Rapid City SD (KPSD World and KZSD World and KBHE World), Clarksburg WV (WVPBS/WSNPB World), Quincy/Hannibal MO (WMEC World and WQEC World), Harrisonburg VA (WVPT World), Charlottesville VA (WHTJ World), Watertown NY (WNPI World and WPBS World), Jonesboro AR (AETN/KETZ World), Bozeman (KUSM World), Grand Junction (RMPBS/KRMJ World), Twin Falls (KIPT World), Great Falls (KUGF World), Eureka CA (KEET World), Cheyenne NE (NET/KTNE World), Fairbanks AK (KUAC World), and Helena (Montana PBS/KUHM World).
PBS Broadcast Schedule for Week of March 22-29
The PBS broadcast schedule for Community First, A Home for the Homeless this week (March 22-29) will be:
-Dallas: on KERA Wednesday, March 24 at 10:00pm and Friday, March 26 at 11:00 pm and Saturday, March 27 at 5:00 am.
-Statewide in West Virginia: Charlestown (WVPB/WVPBS), Bluefield/Beckly (WVPBS/WSWP), Clarksburg/Weston (WVPBS/WNPB) on Thursday March 25th at 10:00 pm.
-Indianapolis: on WIPB Saturday, March 27th at 10:00 pm and on WFYI-3, Monday, March 29th at 8:00 pm.
Starting on April 6, the World Channel will broadcast Community First, A Home for the Homeless in at least 110 markets across the US including all of the top 20 markets and 46 of the top 50. It will air several times in each of these markets through April 10. Soon I will list the markets and the TV “call letters” for the stations. I couldn’t be more thrilled by this coverage!
PBS Broadcast Schedule for Week of March 15-21
Here’s the PBS broadcast schedule of Community First, A Home for the Homeless for the week of March 15-21:
Los Angeles/San Bernardino: KVCR-3, Thursday March 18 at 11:30 pm & Friday March 19 at 4:30 am.
Grand Rapids & Kalamazoo WGVU Friday March 19 at 10:00 pm.
As a reminder, the PBS WORLD Channel (now simply called The World Channel) will feature Community First, A Home for the Homeless several times between April 6 thru April 10 as part of their April theme of “community” (perfect!). So far its confirmed in New York City, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Atlanta, Houston, Washington, Phoenix, Seattle, Tampa, Minneapolis, Detroit, Denver, Cleveland, Sacramento, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Nashville, Las Vegas with more to come. I’ll have the specific schedule in an upcoming email. Plus, there are more broadcasts for the last week in March which I will announce soon.