MomsRising.org, the new online grassroots organization with more than 55,000 members that took the country by storm this summer, is now poised to come into your home. Hot on the heels of their groundbreaking book, The Motherhood Manifesto, MomsRising Executive Director Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner and President Joan Blades (founder of MoveOn.org) joined Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton, Christopher Dodd, Edward Kennedy and Barack Obama for the Capitol Hill premiere of the film by the same name this evening.

Produced by the award-winning duo of John de Graaf and Laura Pacheco, The Motherhood Manifesto documentary brings to life the stories told and challenges chronicled in the book. The Capitol Hill premiere also served as the kick-off to a series of house parties featuring the film that will be held across the country beginning next month. At the house parties, MomsRising members and their friends and neighbors will watch the film and then discuss the issues most important to them and how they can get involved.

“This film first speaks to the heart and then discusses policy,” said MomsRising President Joan Blades. “What pleases me most about this film may be that young single men are excited about the issues after viewing it. These issues are personal to all of us because, even if you aren’t a mom, it’s a sure bet that you have one. Bottom line – when we undermine mothers, we undermine their ability to take care of their families and that affects all of us.”

In addition to launching a nationwide house party campaign with allied organizations, MomsRising will be working to educate policy makers through a special project with the Progressive States Network. Through the State Legislator Education Project, MomsRising and the Progressive States Network will distribute The Motherhood Manifesto book and DVD to 3,000 legislators across the country. Lawmakers who receive the book and film will also receive a package of model family-related state legislation.

“MomsRising was created to educate the nation about what’s really going on with families, and to mobilize moms to take action for their rights and their families’ rights,” Rowe-Finkbeiner added. “In this election season, it’s especially important that we let candidates know that these basic bread-and-butter issues are on the minds and in the hearts of voters everywhere.”

The new documentary is narrated by Academy Award-winning actress Mary Steenburgen.

Films are the organizing tool of the 00s. The documentary DVD includes both a 59-minute director’s cut and a 45-minute organizing cut, plus a 2-minute description of MomsRising.org and the M-O-T-H-E-R song sing-along with lyrics and bouncing ball. The DVD will be used at house parties across the country beginning next month.

MomsRising is bringing citizens together to work for common sense solutions to the profound challenges facing American families today. The dynamic and fast-growing new organization is working for paid family leave, flexible work options, excellent childcare and healthcare for all children, and to stop the wage and hiring biases that penalize so many mothers today.

MomsRising is building a massive grassroots online resource to put motherhood and family issues on the nation’s radar screen, and to provide grassroots political capital to advance leaders and policies that support families. More information is available at www.momsrising.org