Scene from food bank in “American Winter.” Photo courtesy of film’s website.

Director Harry Gantz said response to “American Winter,” which first aired on HBO on March 18, has been overwhelming.

The film looked at how the Great Recession hurt families in Portland, Ore. Some of the families were previously middle class and had to rely on government and charitable assistance for the first time.

“Many in the social service community are lighting up our facebook page trying to find a way to see the film if they don’t have HBO,” Gantz said in an email. “And almost every other comment is about how all of our elected officials should watch the film.”

If you want to take part in a future screening or hold a screening go to this website for more information. The filmmakers have also launched a new Kickstarter campaign to raise the funds to continue to do outreach, including contacting lawmakers to address some of the problems identified in the film.