The lives of three homeless teens as they fight to stay in school, graduate, and build a future in Chicago are showcased in the documentary “The Homestretch.”

The Public Health Student Association (PHSA) began its Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week with a screening of “Homestretch” on Nov. 20 in the Ogeechee Theater.

The PHSA used this week as a platform to promote the Captain’s Cupboard where students on or off campus are able to receive items they need such as canned goods, food, toiletries and more.

The three teens in the film are shown battling everyday struggles such as not having a high school diploma, mental health issues and lack of U.S. citizenship. Lucky for these three teens, those struggles didn’t follow them into adulthood.

One was still able to get into college although having a GPA lower than a 2.0 and no citizenship.

The other teen was able to get his GED and get a stable job to gain custody of his son. The last teen got the wellness check she needed and moved to a new city for a fresh start. She even planned on starting school soon.

At the end of the screening, many faculty, staff and students stood around and talked about the film. The PHSA posted two discussion posts in the back of the theatre where people were allowed to write questions they had at the end of the film.

“I found out about this movie through my FYE class but it wasn’t mandatory. I felt this film was interesting because I’ve experienced homelessness and it’s different to see how older people are affected and how much it can affect what they do next in life,” Mallory Mallett said.

“Nothing in this film surprised me. It just gave me better insight

into people’s everyday situations,” Mallett said.

There are a plethora of resources available if you or a loved one are experiencing hunger or homelessness.

Please contact the Public Health Student Association at phsa@ georgiasouthern.edu.