ALLENTOWN, Pa. — More than a dozen local organizations, recovery advocates, and residents gathered at the Civic Theatre of Allentown on Wednesday for a screening of “Recovery City,” a documentary about four mothers navigating addiction recovery.
Nearly 200 people attended the event, which began with a Community Resource Fair featuring organizations including Valley Youth House, Mid-Atlantic Rehabilitation Services (MARS), Westminster Homes of the Lehigh Valley, and the Journeys Program.
The fair provided information on overdose prevention and harm reduction.
The screening, funded by Lehigh County Drug and Alcohol Services and hosted by the Center for Humanistic Change, included a post-film Q&A with director Lisa Olivieri, who documented the women’s stories for five years.
“The film humanizes recovery and teaches us all about the difficult path women face when trying to rebuild their lives,” said Molly Stanton, Assistant Administrator for Lehigh County Drug and Alcohol Services.
Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan delivered opening remarks, emphasizing partnerships between justice, health, and human services sectors.
The event highlighted an upcoming recovery housing initiative that will meet the secondary needs of the Journeys Program participants, Westminster Homes of the Lehigh Valley.
The initiative will provide transitional housing to pregnant women and mothers affected by opioid use, keeping families together as they rebuild their lives.
You can view the official documentary trailer below.
The initiative will be jointly funded through opioid settlement funds from the District Attorney’s office and Lehigh County Drug and Alcohol.
For more information, contact Molly Stanton at (484) 656-5891 or MollyStanton@lehighcounty.org.
