Homecoming: The Forgotten World of America’s Orphanages

Orphanages, popular prior to the 1960s, rapidly disappeared during the remainder of the century due "in part to their unfair portrayal in literature and film," says Dr. Richard McKenzie, executive producer of the documentary Homecoming. The word "orphanage" causes many people to recall dreadful warehouses for children and incarcerated waifs who, like Oliver in theCharles Dickens novel, always have to plead for "more gruel" and are denied the most basic of human needs—love and a sense of family. However, Homecoming, which has been winning awards at film festivals, provides a surprisingly different view of orphanage life as it existed a half century or more ago. Alumni from four different orphanages around the country tell a story of a different kind of family that is at once surprising and uplifting. Join us for a screening of this film, followed by Q & A with Dr. McKenzie and Director George Cawood.

"The movie is touching and informative." — Orange County (CA) Register