Short Film: “With Love,” tells the story of a Chicago foster family.
Client: Association House of Chicago
Production Company: Fig Media; EP: James Gustin, Michele Gustin. DP: Brian Carey, Codi Palm. Editor: George Medina
Writer/Director: Melissa Fox
Film Overview, written for client in pre-production packet
Jessica and John met working as police officers in Chicago. (6th district - Auburn Gresham) At the time, they were both in relationships and were work friends. Years later, when they both left the district, they were single. Their friendship connection reconnected, eventually lead to a long lasting marriage. Today, Jessica completed her Masters Degree in Law School for Financial Fraud and just completed a run for Alderman in her home district. She didn't win but she doesn't see that as a failure, it was a huge learning opportunity. When Jessica was a kid, she always thought she would become a mom and wanted to become a foster parent. She grew up in a big family and often found herself caring for kids when there were challenges with the parents. Her home was a big safe space for anyone to come and stay when needed. That sense of community is baked into her soul. So it is no surprise that Jessica and John are active foster parents today.
One quick glance into their home during after school hours tells you all you need to know about the type of family they are. Their home is full of activity and laughter. Jessica and John's love for one another and for cultivating a home pours out through the community and they gift that energy to everyone they meet. They achieved their Foster license through Association House of Chicago where they have become a staple in the community through their volunteer work. They are best known for being the "Santa," family for all the foster kids at AHC. They dress up on costume as Santa, Mrs. Clause and their kids play the elves. They have four kids. Two are biological and two are Foster kids. The youngest, is currently in the process of finalizing her adoption while the other's adoption has already been finalized. Jessica jokes that John doesn't know but she plans on taking on another if the adoption goes through.
Jessica says this as she has her laptop open in the background. Her kids all popping in and out of the zoom call, showing us their faces and personalities. On her laptop, a Disney vacation itinerary. She and John are taking the whole family to Disney for the first time and the kids are over the moon about it. This is a cornerstone of our short film: This wondrous family and their foster journey. While we will not be doing a deep dive into the children to support their mental health, we will hear from Jessica and John about why they chose this path for their lives and why they see it as an important service for society and the communities they serve.
The Foster Care System is complex and in need of massive reform. There is no mistaking that children and parents suffer great losses when a family is split. While the goal of all foster families is reunification with their biological care givers, navigating that system is hard. It is difficult enough to be a parent today. The cost of having a child in Illinois is estimated at an average of 25,000.00 per year. For families living in poverty, that is often more than what they bring in. When a family enters foster care, society has already failed them. The barriers to supporting families before they enter the system are greater than entering the system. When communities are interviewed about programs for parents they often say things like: "I don't understand how the state will pay someone to care of my kids but will not pay to help me buy groceries or get a better job so they don't get taken away in the first place."
A recent article in NPR revealed that parents are first taxed for their poverty and then billed for Foster Care. Further perpetuating their circumstances and complicating reunification. In Illinois alone, there are over 20,000 children in the Foster Care System. There are only 8,000 licensed foster parents. That disparity is one of the many reasons that children suffer harms at the cost of the system. There are too few case workers, fewer foster parents and less support for the family as a whole. Some children will spend just 6 months at one home and then be moved overnight, without warning to a new home and continue that cycle till they age out.
The more we read, the more upset we became. But for all that heaviness, there was one glaring act of revolution. The joy in Jessica and Johns home. That despite all these challenges. Despite the difficult journeys. The temper tantrums, the unknown and the tears - there they were. Laughing. Making jokes. Planning a Disney trip and talking about how much they love one another. They are, for lack of a better word: Inspiring. We even hate typing that as it does not encompass the great awe at which their partnership is making positive change. One home at a time.
Directors Notes
“Association House of Chicago is in my back yard, almost literally. I live just a few minutes away. So whenever I get to tell the stories of their community, it is a little extra special. I spent time with Jessica, getting to know her and her family long before we brought cameras to their house. I adored our conversations. Those talks were the basis for the script we wrote and eventually coached the family through creating together. It is important to me when telling stories of trauma that we create environments of safety, discuss ways to combat bias in media and have flexibility for our participants. One of the ways that I combat bias is making sure that the audience meet our family as a family: with hobbies, interests and values before we learn about their circumstances. In the non-profit world, I think there is a tendency to lead with trauma for tears - hoping that will translate into funding but not seeing how that harms communities. For this film, we centered the story of the parents on purpose. Jessica became our narrator. We wanted people to hear about her values, the jokes they make as a family and why it’s important to them to foster in a system that is flawed. She absolutely nailed it. This way, we protected the stories of the children allowing them to be their fun selves on camera. I am grateful to have clients who’s values align with my own. They provided extra support for the family throughout the process and made sure everyone felt cared for. The result raised a record amount of money. Really proud of the team that came together, trusted me with the stories and the vision.” - Melissa Fox
