Every Sunday in Allentown, the basement of Christ Lutheran Church on 13th Street in Allentown transforms into a welcoming, cafe-like space for anyone who walks through its doors, no matter their background or means.
The Neighborhood House, founded by Allentown Collaborative Ministries in 2024, serves the homeless population in Allentown on a day when virtually no programs for them operate.
While nonprofits like the Lehigh Conference of Churches and Ripple operate daytime programs during weekdays and some Saturdays, there is no other place on Sundays for people looking to escape the elements and receive a warm meal and time with community.
The Neighborhood House is the only Sunday program in Allentown that caters specifically to homeless residents, and brings in over 80 visitors weekly.
The house, its volunteers and its staff have been “an absolute godsend” for people like London Cliffords, a resident of Allentown who has been homeless since September, when she relocated from New York and her plans to room with a friend fell through.
“On those days where there’s nowhere to go and nothing to do, and especially if it’s raining or it’s snowing, or it’s just cold in general, you can see it. You can feel it. And it’s devastating,” Cliffords said. “But luckily, we have these guys on a Sunday, and even though it’s only for a few hours, a few hours is better than nothing at all. We are fed well, every week is home cooked, they make sure there’s enough for everybody.”
Neighborhood House coordinator Shellie Frichtman speaks Sunday, March, 1, 2026, with London Clifford in Allentown. Neighborhood House is one of just a few day programs offered on Sundays for homeless people in the region. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
Neighborhood House coordinator Shellie Frichtman speaks Sunday, March, 1, 2026, with a client in Allentown. Neighborhood House is one of just a few day programs offered on Sundays for homeless people in the region. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
London Clifford speaks Sunday, March, 1, 2026, about the services offered by Neighborhood House, a day program for homeless people in Allentown. Neighborhood House is one of just a few programs offered on Sundays for homeless people in the region. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
London Clifford speaks Sunday, March, 1, 2026, about the services offered by Neighborhood House, a day program for homeless people in Allentown. Neighborhood House is one of just a few programs offered on Sundays for homeless people in the region. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
Shellie Frichtman speaks Sunday, March, 1, 2026, at Neighborhood House, a day program for homeless people in Allentown. Neighborhood House is one of just a few programs offered on Sundays for homeless people in the region. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
Drew Lutz-Long, associate director of music and networking at Christ Lutheran Church in Allentown, speaks Sunday, March, 1, 2026, at Neighborhood House, a day program for homeless people in Allentown. Neighborhood House is one of just a few programs offered on Sundays for homeless people in the region. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
Neighborhood House coordinator Shellie Frichtman cleans after service hours end Sunday, March, 1, 2026, at the day program for homeless people in Allentown. Neighborhood House is one of just a few programs offered on Sundays for homeless people in the region. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
London Clifford speaks Sunday, March, 1, 2026, about the services offered by Neighborhood House, a day program for homeless people in Allentown. Neighborhood House is one of just a few programs offered on Sundays for homeless people in the region. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
London Clifford speaks Sunday, March, 1, 2026, about the services offered by Neighborhood House, a day program for homeless people in Allentown. Neighborhood House is one of just a few programs offered on Sundays for homeless people in the region. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
Neighborhood House coordinator Shellie Frichtman speaks Sunday, March, 1, 2026, with London Clifford in Allentown. Neighborhood House is one of just a few day programs offered on Sundays for homeless people in the region. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
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Neighborhood House coordinator Shellie Frichtman speaks Sunday, March, 1, 2026, with London Clifford in Allentown. Neighborhood House is one of just a few day programs offered on Sundays for homeless people in the region. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
In addition to providing a warm breakfast and to-go packed lunch, the Neighborhood House is a safe space and respite from the cold for people who have no permanent home. It builds community among the homeless residents of Allentown, who are largely dispersed or living in shelters since the city cleared a homeless encampment along the Jordan Creek in September.
“For a lot of us, we don’t get to see each other during the week,” Cliffords said. ” … We all do meet up here, we can catch up on the week’s gossip, and find out who’s doing what. I mean, I just found out one of my friends, one’s got a couple of job interviews lined up, another one is leaving the area because she’s found somewhere better to go.”
The program began in 2024 when a Bible study meeting among members of Allentown Collaborative Ministries turned into a discussion about the dearth of Sunday programs available to the regional homeless population.
“For us as churches, it’s become more than an outreach ministry to care for the unhoused; it’s almost a sacred time of worship,” said the Rev. Cynthia Reder Geyer, pastor at the Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church. “As people are serving, they are putting their faith into action. and as they put their faith into action they feel the joy of what Jesus was talking about, of what we’re called to do, what it means to be a servant.”
Five to seven volunteers serve meals and interact with visitors Sunday morning, and are overseen by Neighborhood House’s program coordinator Shellie Frichtman.
Though volunteers vary week by week, Frichtman has become a familiar face to the dozens of Neighborhood House regulars, who treat her as a friend and confidante.
“It’s just a quiet, safe place to be in the morning, and it gets them rejuvenated, so now they have a couple hours where they have something to do,” Frichtman said.
Homeless visitors to the program help set up and take down the chairs, food and supplies after the program, to show their gratitude for the fact that the program exists.
The Neighborhood House program runs September through April, approximately in coordination with the hours the Allentown Warming Station is open.
“I don’t know what we are going to do when this place shuts down [for the season],” Cliffords said.
Neighborhood’s last day of this season will be April 19, and it will reopen in October. Neighborhood House volunteers will continue to hand out to-go lunches over the summer for people who stop by the church, but the doors will not remain open for people to linger.
The program’s operators would like to keep it going year-round — the need for a space on Sundays is certainly there, they said — but they are constrained by a lack of volunteer capacity.
“In general, both the beauty and the challenge is the constant turnover of volunteers for a person like Shellie, who’s trying to create continuity and predictability, but she’s working for a different crew, every month,” said Drew Lutz-Long, associate director of music at Christ Lutheran Church.
Neighborhood House is seeking volunteers through the rest of the season and next year; those interested can find more information on Christ Lutheran Church’s website.
Reporter Lindsay Weber can be reached at Liweber@mcall.com.