The MFF Educational Foundation is the only foundation in the world focused on educational giant screen films and companion programming as a means of fostering positive change in the world.

At MacGillivray Freeman Films Educational Foundation, we think it’s important that kids get out of the classroom (every so often) to experience science, nature and their community in informal yet educational settings.  Our giant screen films play in museums and science centers, as well as movie cineplexes all around the world. 

In fact, students on field trips comprise the majority of daytime audiences in giant screen theatres.  Students account for approximately 25% of a museum or science center’s giant screen theatre total audience.  Providing teachers and students with informal learning experiences is an important mission of U.S. museums and science centers. However, in the public schools where funding is limited, it is even more difficult to justify field trips, especially if families cannot help supplement the costs for their child to attend.  Transportation and ticket costs can become barriers to a fun learning experience at a museum for low-income students.  With this program, our Foundation aims to support the ongoing efforts and creative ideas of institutional theatres to bring more underserved student audiences to their facilities.
 

MFF Educational Foundation hosted more than 10,000 students at screenings of Hurricane on the Bayou in 2007 in New Orleans, St. Louis and Irvine, California.  The program filled an urgent need for additional funding for school programs in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.  In Irvine, California, students created a mosaic that said, “We Care!” which they sent to a school in New Orleans.  In St. Louis, disadvantaged children who attended the summer science workshops focusing on the environment were treated to educational activities developed for Hurricane on the Bayou and watched the film, something they would not have been able to do otherwise. 

In 2008 three science centers showing Grand Canyon Adventure each received a grant from the Foundation for their programs to reach underserved students.  San Diego developed a program called “Water Works,” that engages teachers with fun water conservation activities to do with their classrooms before attending the film and then provides for followup activities with science center educators visiting classrooms in the weeks after students see the film. In Boston, grant funds were used to pay for transportation and ticket costs for disadvantaged students. In Ottawa (Canada), the museum worked with at-risk youth on two programs, one involving Ottawa River Keepers and the other Ryan’s Well Foundation.  The River Keepers conducted lessons on caring for the Ottawa River, which is located right next to the museum.  Ryan Hreljac, who lives nearby, and is featured at the end of the Grand Canyon Adventure film, spoke to the group about his personal mission to build much needed wells in developing countries.  His Foundation, which he started at six years old, has built 400 wells in 15 countries in the ten years since.