Family Promise of Lehigh Valley hosted local VIPs to a private red-carpet premiere of the movie “No Address” at the Promenade Theater, Center Valley recently.

Directed by Director 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 that 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 nonprofits 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 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 Fountain Hill Borough Councilperson Jamie Johnson.

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,” Michael Johnson said as he explained how the movie “hit home“ with him. “Like one of the main characters, I come home one day and all my stuff is on the porch.” he said. “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.”

“As the movie shows, we don’t succeed as a society unless we take care of each other,” Jamie Johnson said. With the Trump administration’s massive employee cuts, she worries her cousin who works for the Veterans Administration in New York may lose his job.

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.

“Reach for the Stars: Family Promise of Lehigh Valley Annual Homecoming” is scheduled 5:30 p.m. March 29 at The Club at Twin Lakes in North Whitehall Township. The fundraiser features cocktails, dinner, entertainment by singer-songwriter Kendal Conrad and a silent auction.

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