Hopefully you’ve heard of The Soloist by now. Maybe you caught wind of the internet controversy last week between Robert Downey Jr. and a journalist who was attempting to link his character in Tropic Thunder to Jamie Foxx’s role as Nathaniel Anthony Ayres at a press junket in Los Angeles. Or the heavily criticized promotional advertisement published by the Los Angeles Times.

But let’s forget that distraction and get back to the heart of the matter. Homelessness is a serious subject, and more and more of our fellow Americans are being forced on to the streets due to the massive layoffs and foreclosures. Once the movie is released this Friday the story—one of schizophrenia and mental illness, of music, of friendship, and of homelessness—will stand for itself.

In conjunction with National Volunteer Week, we hope you’ll stand with the story by taking part in our volunteer match partnership for the film. Just in the state of California there’s 1,489 opportunities to get involved with homelessness and/or mental illness organizations. Click on the image below to get started!