ALLENTOWN, Pa. — On the corner of Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital's parking garage, it's hard to miss the burst of sunshine beaming from a new mural.
The mural, designed to greet patients, caregivers and passersby alike, was unveiled on Friday at the facility's campus at 850 S. Fifth St.
Local leaders including Lehigh County Executive Phil Armstrong, Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk and state reps. Peter Schweyer and Mike Schlossberg joined Good Shepherd Network President Michael Spigel and muralist Matt Halm at the dedication.
Halm, who has designed more than 30 murals in the Lehigh Valley, had help stitching together the mural from volunteers, staff and patients of Good Shepherd, which operates 36 facilities in the Lehigh Valley.
Beneath the mural's sun, the wall is a celebration of movement and togetherness.
There are figures — people of all abilities — drawn in bright colors who are pedaling bicycles, gliding through water in playful swimming strokes and stretching toward the sky in poses of balance.
'A beacon of hope'
When the hospital first imagined the piece, it hoped to create a beacon of “welcome and home for the community," Spigel said.
“It reminds us that healing isn’t just clinical. It’s emotional, it’s creative, and it’s collective.”Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network President Michael Spigel
“The mural is a vibrant tribute to inclusion, creativity and the power of community," he said Friday. "It celebrates the neighborhood that has shaped us for more than a century.
"It reminds us that healing isn’t just clinical. It’s emotional, it’s creative and it’s collective.”
Good Shepherd was founded in 1908, just a few streets away on St. John Street, as the Good Shepherd Home for orphans and people with disabilities.
The Fifth Street facility, which opened in 1967, now serves as the network’s main campus.
Halm, who was born in Allentown, said he chose the design to reflect Good Shepherd’s local roots and community spirit.
"This mural is a testament to collaboration and accessibility,” he said. “It gave people who might never have had the chance to paint a chance to make their mark. That’s the most rewarding part.”
Halm and volunteers from Good Shepherd held three paint parties at their facilities in Allentown, Bethlehem and Center Valley.
Using a paint-by-numbers style, people filled in sections of the mural — a sun here, a swirl of color there — transforming the blank panels into something joyful, Halm said.
“The only problem was telling people there wasn’t any more to paint,” he said, jokingly.
“Everyone was so excited to be part of it.”
'Love letter' to community
The mural was created on polytab panels — a fabric painted off-site, then adhered to the building like wallpaper.
Halm said the process required both artistry and geometry, as he aligned shapes across the panels.
Halm, who grew up in Mountainville, a neighborhood near the Good Shepherd, said he felt nostalgic while working on the project.
" In many ways, murals are not just beautification, but also community building."Muralist Matt Halm
"This was great to be here, and work on this in the community I grew up in," he said. "It brought back a lot of great memories.
"Going to lunch on the south side at Zandy's Steak Shop. As an Allentown native, it means a lot to me."
Halm's other citywide murals are on North Ninth Street; at 438 Turner St.; and at the Da Vinci Science Center in downtown Allentown.
In partnership with young artists from ArtsQuest's Banana Factory, he also led the murals located at a walkway at Lehigh Valley International Airport.
Halm will also attend an unveiling of his latest mural, which is located on Church and Main Streets, in Bethlehem on Saturday, Sept. 6, during the city's community block party to celebrate its World Heritage Status.
Not unlike metro areas such as Philadelphia and New York, the Lehigh Valley is becoming known for its street art, Halm said.
" In many ways, murals are not just beautification, but also community building," he said.
"It really has taken off, and people are realizing it's just a thing that if you do it the right way, it can build community spirit for years to come."
