For Admission: Call 211

All admission happens after a free call to 211 for coordinated entry. All admission to The Shelter comes from coordinated entry referrals.

Welcome to
Sixth Street Shelter

Our goal at Sixth Street Shelter, a program of Community Action Lehigh Valley, is to assist families experiencing homelessness to secure safe housing through family-centered services, in-house programming, and referrals to community resources while advocating that affordable housing is a human right.

We increase independence through self-sufficiency and support the navigation through many stages of positive change that take place during our programming. We help guests share their voices, grow as an individual and family unit, increase academic progress, and find work and affordable housing so they can be as successful as we know they can be!

Community Action Lehigh Valley is a local anti-poverty nonprofit organization offering programs in Advocacy, Business Start-Up and Development, Food Access and Nutrition, Housing, Neighborhood Revitalization, and Youth.

Urgent Call for Donations

Currently, the Shelter is in urgent need of:

Toilet paper
Shower curtain rings
Drinking glasses (glass, plastic)
Plate sets
Bowl sets
Silverware sets

In person (new/unused) donations are accepted on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, or you can shop our Amazon Wishlist and ship it directly to the Shelter.

Amazon Wishlist

Sixth Street Shelter proclamation with Mayor Tuerk-47.jpg

Between 2023-2024:

91 families resided at the Shelter and developed Family Service Plans based on their housing, educational, and finance goals

213 people served were children
50% of families saved money towards rent or a security deposit upon leaving the Shelter
75% of families achieved their Family Service Plan goals
100% of families created a written budget to understand credit and money management as a part of their goal plan
Through landlord engagement, we developed a roster of 30 local landlords willing to work with our program participants

Shoutout to Katherin and Lily from @NorthamptonCommCollege for spending the morning job shadowing Rebecca at Sixth Street Shelter! 🏡✨ They got a firsthand look at the work we do to support families, and Rebecca even made them certificates to commemorate the experience. It was a pleasure having you both—thanks for stopping by and learning more about the Shelter!

A huge thank you to Uline for their generous donation! 🙌 Pictured with our intern, Savannah, and our Development Officer, Wendy, @Uline_ShippingSupplies donated 24 bins filled with essential housing supplies—including cleaning products, toiletries, and more—to support Lehigh Valley families in need. We’re so grateful for their generosity! 💙

Meet Alayijah, one of our coolest former child residents at Sixth Street Shelter, now thriving as a teen! 🎉 This holiday season, Alayijah had the chance to Shop with @APDAllentown for Christmas, where she had a memorable conversation with Sergeant Leonard. He was so impressed by her maturity and curiosity that he invited her to join the Allentown Police Athletic League (PAL) program! 💪🏽⁠
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The PAL program provides mentorship, educational opportunities, and recreational activities for local youth, helping them give back to the community through positive engagement and service. We’re thrilled to see Alayijah being recognized for her talent and potential!⁠
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And if that wasn’t impressive enough—Alayijah and her Raub Middle School cheerleading team recently opened for the Philadelphia @Sixers at the @WellsFargoCenter on January 8th! 🏀✨⁠
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We’re so proud of Alayijah’s journey and can’t wait to see what else she’ll accomplish. Keep shining! 🌟

We need your support! 🔊 Sixth Street Shelter is in urgent need of donations for essential household items, including toilet paper and new/unused kitchen sets: drinking glasses (plastic or glass), silverware, dish sets, and bowls. These items play a crucial role in helping our residents settle into their new homes with ease, so they can start fresh in their kitchens with their families. 🍽️ Every donation makes a meaningful impact!⁠
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All donations must be new/unused. Donations are accepted in person at the Shelter on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 AM - 2 PM. You can also shop online and ship donations directly to us at 219 N Sixth Street, Allentown, PA, 18102.

When it comes to lending a helping hand, it’s truly all hands on deck! 🙌 Here's Jaana and our intern, Emely, spreading smiles and support at Sixth Street Shelter! 💛

Every year, we team up with the Allentown Police Department for our Shop With A Cop event! 🎁⁠
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@APDAllentown raises funds to help the kids at Sixth Street Shelter shop for gifts for their parents and siblings at Target, ensuring everyone has something special to open on Christmas morning. After shopping, we head back to @TheAmericusHotel for pizza and gift wrapping—it’s such a joyful and heartwarming way to celebrate the holiday season! 🎄🍕

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@sixthstreetshelter