Long Beach Rescue Mission Adds New Beds To The Samaritan House

The Long Beach Rescue Mission has added new beds to its growing housing program. The additional beds have been acquired as the mission replaces the over 150 beds that have been in use at the Samaritan House, the men’s shelter, since the 1980s. 

The new beds as well as bedding and blankets were able to be purchased by the Mission due to donations made by those in the Long Beach Community. Long Beach Rescue Mission Executive Director Jeff Levine says donations made to the Rescue Mission have a significant impact on those who utilize the mission’s many programs. 

“For a client they are not necessarily going to see the donor that’s making the donation but they are going to feel the donation, whether that’s food or clothing or a hot shower. Behind the scenes are people who have a heart to make a difference in the lives of people who are suffering, people who are less fortunate, and that is a community effort,” said Levine. 

According to the Long Beach Homeless Count conducted by the Long Beach Health and Human Services department, the homeless population in Long Beach increased by 1,262 people from 2020 to 2022. The population of homeless people in the 2022 count reached record levels with 3,296 homeless individuals living in Long Beach. The closest population size in the last several homeless counts was in 2015 with 2,345 people. 

The additional beds at the Samaritan House have added 4,380 nights to the shelter’s capacity bringing the number of available nights at the mission per year to over 50,000. These additional nights will give the Rescue Mission the ability to help many more people experiencing homelessness in the Long Beach area. 

With homelessness on the rise it is even more crucial that resources like those provided at the Long Beach Rescue Mission are accessible to the communities that need them. More improvements are planned for the Samaritan House as well as at the Lydia House, which houses women and their children.

“All of this is from donations from people, individuals, corporations, really the generosity of the people supporting the Rescue Mission made it possible for us to do this,” said Levine. 

The Long Beach Rescue Mission accepts monetary donations as well as physical donations such as toiletries and clothing. Donations can also be made in the form of sponsored meals through the mission’s Dinner on Me program. To learn more about how you can support the Long Beach Rescue Mission, visit lbrm.org. 

By Morgan Trivitt