The Sixth Annual Lunafest Film Festival DC (featuring films made by...for...about women), set for Wednesday, April 11 at the Arlington Cinema & Draft House, will raise funds for a very special cause that helps local pregnant women & new moms... and is dear to my own heart.

This year, net proceeds of Lunafest DC go to Postpartum Support International (PSI) - a worldwide network of volunteers, advocates, and professionals who care about the mental health of expectant and new moms.

I volunteer locally with PSI as the DC-Area Coordinator, along with fabulous Arlington mama Adrienne Griffen, who is the Virginia Coordinator. Together, Adrienne and I lead the free DC Peer Support Group, which meets two evenings each month in the Palisades neighborhood of DC and is geared toward women experiencing depression, anxiety, or stress before or after having a baby. (Adrienne also leads a daytime Peer Support Group that meets twice a month in Arlington, and there are additional groups in Loudon County and Fairfax, VA.)

The need is almost overwhelming in the DC area for information, emotional support, and simple empathy and kindness. There are many women reaching out for help each day, and sadly, many more who can't or don't. Those of us doing PSI's work in the Washington area are volunteering our time. But fundraisers like Lunafest can offset costs associated with designing and copying brochures that can be distributed to women at doctor's offices, special events, and moms' club, letting them know that local help IS available.

I hope my DC-area readers will turn out for this fun "girls' night out" at Lunafest, to watch some cool independent films and contribute to a worthy cause. Tix are $10 at the door. The evening will start at 6 p.m. with live jazz music and wine tasting, and the movies start at 7:30.

Many thanks to local mama and Stroller Strides instructor Jennifer Lungren for putting this film festival together - and for taking the initiative to contribute to PSI's community service. For more info about Lunafest, contact Jennifer at jlungren (at) strollerstrides (dot) net. For more about Lunafest, click here.