This week’s blog is written by Barbara Richardson, Chief Development Officer at Families First.

Last summer, when we started talking about inviting Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy to be our special guests at the 2010 Dining for a Difference, I was a little worried. We knew that they had a compelling story to tell and that it related to the work that we do at Families First to help provide children with permanent, supportive, loving relationships with the adults in their lives. We also knew the movie version of the story was being filmed in Atlanta, which gave it the hometown connection that we thought might help sell tickets (and boy has it!). But I was worried about the Hollywood factor. I was thinking, what if the movie flops? What if no one wants to see it? What if it’s “too Hollywood” and the story fails to ring true. Luckily, those worries were in vain.

If you haven’t seen the movie, you should. And read the book too. If you do both, you will in fact see that the movie version is a bit “Hollywood.” It’s a Cinderella story. But if you look deep you’ll find several messages we can all take from Hollywood into our own neighborhoods.      

There is a message about compassion. The Tuohy family saw Michael Oher as a child in need, and recognized that they were in a position to help. They could have looked the other way, as so many of us do, but they chose to reach out their hands to lift him up.

There is a message about humanity. Despite their different worlds, divided by race and privilege, the Tuohy’s and Michael saw each other as people first. They focused on each other, they loved each other, they called each other family, with little regard to their differences or what other people might think.

There’s a message about perseverance. It has been said that the movie character Michael was “dumbed down” for dramatic effect. The real Michael is an intelligent young man who was determined to break free from the destiny shaped by the circumstances of his birth and upbringing. He knew that the Tuohys were giving him a shot at a different life and he made the decision to do the work to succeed in school, on the football field, and in life.

Because of the success of the movie, interest in seeing the “real” Tuohys at Families First’s Dining for a Difference on March 18th has been phenomenal. We’ve moved the event to a larger venue, The Cobb Galleria Centre, where we can accommodate up to 800 guests. Dining for a Difference is Families First’s only fundraising event, netting up to $250,000 in previous years. We are so grateful that all of the stars aligned to pave the way for an incredible evening on March 18th – the success of the movie at the box office, Sandra Bullock’s stellar portrayal of Leigh Anne Tuohy, the hometown connection to Atlanta, Michael’s success in his first season with the Baltimore Ravens, and, of course, the inspiring and compelling story of the Tuohys and Michael Oher. Hollywood couldn’t have written a better script. .     

For more information and to purchase tickets to Dining for a Difference, click here.