By May Louis-Juste, Project Manager, Strategic Partnerships
This summer, NLIHC invites you to explore what it means to have a place to call home through Summer of IDEAS, NLIHC’s free virtual film series that uses storytelling to challenge misconceptions about the housing crisis and inspire action.
Centered around this year's theme, Whose Home Is It? Stories from the Housing Crisis, the series features powerful documentary films that examine who gets to call a place home. Each screening is followed by a conversation with filmmakers, advocates, and experts to deepen understanding and connect these stories to the policies and systems shaping our communities.
Our first screening, No Place to Grow Old, shines a light on one of the fastest-growing yet least visible groups affected by the housing crisis, older adults experiencing homelessness for the first time. Through deeply personal stories, the documentary follows older adults navigating life without stable housing while confronting a difficult question: “What do we owe the people who spent their lives building our communities?” As housing costs continue to rise and safety nets fall short, the film asks what it means for all of us when growing older no longer comes with the promise of stability.
Following the screening, join us for a live conversation exploring the growing crisis of homelessness among older adults, the structural forces driving it, and the policy solutions that can ensure everyone can age with dignity and a place to call home.
Whether you work in housing, aging, health care, advocacy, or simply care about creating stronger communities, this conversation is for you. You can register for the screening here.
No Place to Grow Old
No Place to Grow Old captures a growing crisis unfolding quietly across America: the increasing number of seniors facing homelessness. Set in Portland, Oregon, this poignant documentary follows the lives of three older adults navigating the harsh realities of life without a home. Through their stories of hardship and resilience, the film offers an intimate portrayal of the challenges they face, while also shining a light on the systemic issues contributing to their plight. Featuring insights from local and national experts, No Place to Grow Old is a powerful call to action that emphasizes dignity and hope, envisioning a future where everyone, regardless of age, has a safe and secure place to call home.
Summer of IDEAS 2026 Lineup
- July 8: No Place to Grow Old
- Exploring the fastest-growing population experiencing homelessness: older adults, and what communities can do to ensure people can age with dignity.
- August 13: UnBlocked Englewood
- A powerful examination of housing discrimination, neighborhood disinvestment, and the lasting impacts of systemic racism through the story of Chicago's Englewood community.
- September 10: Project HOME: Finding Home
- An intimate look at the pathways into and out of homelessness, highlighting the resilience of individuals and the importance of permanent housing and supportive services.
Stories have the power to change hearts. Conversations have the power to change minds. Together, they can help change policy and narratives alike. We hope you'll join us this summer as we learn, reflect, and imagine a future where everyone has a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home.
Learn more about the series here.
Register for the July 8 virtual screening here.