ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Scores of people partied in the road Thursday night in Downtown Allentown to celebrate Sixth Street Shelter Day.
Lehigh Valley Phantoms mascot meLVin helped get the party going, inviting kids into the street to dance to Deejay Byg Fury’s tracks.
Dieruff High School's marching band performed a well-received round of songs outside the shelter before a group of young cheerleaders from Central Elementary added more pep to the party.
About an hour into the celebration, the WDIY DJ killed the music for officials and several women who found stability through the Sixth Street Shelter to say a few words about it and its namesake holiday.
“(I’ll) say that again: affordable housing is a human right."Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk
Mayor Matt Tuerk declared Sixth Street Shelter Day a city holiday on June 6, 2023, to recognize the organization's long-term commitment to serving unhoused people in Allentown.
He again on Thursday read a proclamation honoring the shelter, which is marking its 40th year in 2024.
Tuerk’s proclamation paid tribute to the shelter for offering “secure and safe housing while advocating that affordable housing is a human right.”
“(I’ll) say that again: affordable housing is a human right,” Tuerk said.
The mayor said he is “incredibly grateful” to CALV Executive Director Dawn Godshall, Sixth Street Shelter Director Robbie Matthews and both organizations for their decades of work to help unhoused people.
“You’ve been holding it down for 40 years and continue to do amazing work serving families,” Tuerk said.
Sixth Street Shelter started providing services to unhoused people in 1984, with Thursday's block party doubling as a celebration of four decades of work.
“The first night I stayed here, I stayed up on that third floor of this red building right here that you see. And I just remember feeling like I was finally able to breathe.”Jelitza Ortiz
The shelter has 25 private apartments, with each family given a furnished unit with a complete kitchen, according to the shelter’s website. Families can stay in those apartments for up to 90 days.
The Sixth Street Shelter helped about 80 families — more than 350 people — in 2022, a number lower than recent years because families have had to stay longer at the shelter due to a lack of affordable housing in Allentown and the Lehigh Valley, Godshall said.
'I was finally able to breathe'
Community Action also operates two off-site facilities, where 22 families can live for up to two years.
“I hope everyone here takes home with them today the power of community and unity."Jelitza Ortiz
Jelitza Ortiz and her children are among those families. She spoke to the block-party crowd Thursday about living in her car with her children until getting a call from the shelter.
“That call changed my life, and it changed my family’s life, as well,” Ortiz said.
“The first night I stayed here, I stayed up on that third floor of this red building right here that you see,” she said, pointing to the shelter behind her. “And I just remember feeling like I was finally able to breathe.”
She credited Matthews and the Sixth Street Shelter’s “amazing team” that “never left my side.”
“I hope everyone here takes home with them today the power of community and unity,” Ortiz said, urging people to “consider donating your generosity” in whatever form they can.
After addressing the crowd, Ortiz told LehighValleyNews.com “it felt like a full circle moment” to be speaking as a success story.
“It was really special; it was very emotional for me,” she said.
