In the mid-1980s, a grassroots group of locals tapped into the good will of the local Rotary Club and the Town of East Hampton to establish a domestic violence shelter called The Retreat, which opened in 1992. Director Markie Hancock uncovers a narrative of survival and empowerment as she retraces the improbable beginnings of The Retreat and its mission to provide safety, shelter, and support to victims of domestic violence. A story of resilience, hope, and inspiration in the face of fraught times, THE POWER OF COMMUNITY is a moving and empathetic testament to a life-saving local institution.