Dear Nana - documentary short

Joan Hyland never dreamed about pitching at Yankee Stadium. She never thought that in her 80's she would build Love, Nana, a thriving nonprofit delivering thousands of handpacked bundles to mothers and babies in need. Joan's story is one of perseverance, faith and of course love. So how did Nana become “Nana"?

To answer this question her grandson James recorded her life story-a month before Popa's, her beloved husband, sudden passing. Six years later, captured through her grandson's eyes, Dear Nana, tells the tale of a love that continues to grow and inspire.

Dear Nana, will weave three separated threads, recordings from 2020 of Nana & Popa’s stories, James’ handcrafted animations breathing life into those stories and Nana’s bustling present day life at Love, Nana.

We believe this film will connect with a wider audience spreading the story of Love, Nana and Backyard Players*, the parent non-profit of Love, Nana, to a wider audience. In challenging and divisive times we have lots to learn from our elders, and from those who are able to unite communities and offer an optimistic road-map forward. We hope Dear Nana will inspire charitable action and even more importantly we hope it will inspire people of all ages to become doers in their communities.

• All donors will be included in the film's credits
• Donations over $1,000 receive an Associate Producer credit
• Donations over $5,000 receive an Executive Producer credit

Click below to learn more about the mission of:
Backyard Players and Love, Nana

*Backyard Players is an inclusive, arts-based community program, open to the public for participants age 14 and older. We work to give every person a space so that together we can share ideas and experience openness, joy and creativity. We believe that through inclusion there is diversity and strength.
*Love, Nana is a Community Service Project presented by the Backyard Players and Friends. We are a volunteer & donation based non-profit whose mission is two-fold, to assist local families in need by providing gently used clothing for newborns and offering a skills training and community experience program for our participants.