Family Promise of the Lehigh Valley hosted local VIPs to a private red-carpet premiere of the movie “No Address” Feb. 27 at AMC Center Valley 16 Promenade Saucon Valley. Directed by Julia Verdin and filmed in Sacramento, Calif., the film follows a diverse ensemble of individuals and families as they struggle with having no address.

Isabella Ferreira, as Lauren, finds her belongings piled up on the doorstep of the home of her foster mom as she returns from her high school graduation. The orphan has aged out of the foster care system and is no longer welcome there. She finds refuge in a tent city inhabited by a teen runaway, homeless veteran, displaced artist and former professional dancer struggling with dementia.

The film effectively demonstrates homelessness could happen to anyone, including a middle-aged homeowner, played by William Baldwin, whose gambling addiction results in his family being evicted for missing mortgage payments.

Besides providing an unfiltered, but sympathetic, look at this national tragedy, a portion of the proceeds from this film is going to Family Promise and other local non-profits across the country to fight rising homelessness.

Located at 1346 W. Hamilton St., Allentown, Family Promise provides food, shelter, case management and a pathway to financial independence to area families with children experiencing housing insecurity.

The program is supported by more than 800 local volunteers, 36 congregations and many local businesses.

Homelessness comes in several forms, from couch surfing to sleeping on park benches, in cars, tents, abandoned buildings and shelters.

“We all know the best way to stop homelessness is to prevent it,” Family Promise Executive Director Roslyn Kuba said as she explains the stabilizing services offered to those in need, as well as aftercare services. “Once you become a family of Family Promise, you stay family.”

“We have a 90-day program, which we put together individual case management programs that are tailored to each family’s needs,” Development Director Susan Logomasini said. “We have an 80% graduation rate to stable housing.”

Among the local leaders attending were Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk and Fountain Hill Mayor Michael Johnson and his wife Jamie Johnson, who serves on borough council.

Tuerk expressed concerns the recent slashing of staff from federal agencies including Housing and Urban Development is “a back door way to cutting funding” for shelters and other organizations within the city.

“If they don’t have anybody getting money out the door, they can’t get the money out the door,” he said.

“I experienced homelessness for two years of my life,” Mayor Johnson said. “Like one of the main characters, I come home one day and all my stuff was on the porch. I packed my stuff in my car and that is basically where I stayed for two years.”

This was back in Barberton, Ohio. Johnson moved to Easton at the invitation of his sister, “to help her out.”

In 2024, Family Promise assisted 65 families consisting of 83 adults and 124 children. Since it was established in 2018, 219 families with 697 individuals received help. In addition to their community partners, the nonprofit continues to seek funding to maintain their programs.

For more information, call 610-351-1368 or visit fplehighvalley.org.