A Message From Long Beach Rescue Mission President, Jeff Levine
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Written By Jeff Levine
As we step into a new year, I find myself reflecting on the idea of “New Year’s resolutions.” They represent our best intentions—hopes for growth, healing, and change. January invites us to pause, to look honestly at where we have been and where we long to go. And yet, we all know how easily good intentions can fall short. Beneath that reality is a deeper truth we all share: while the desire for renewal is real, lasting change requires fidelity and conviction, confidence and expectation.
This tension exists not only in our personal lives, but also within our community. As a city and as a nation, we long to see brokenness restored, suffering alleviated, and hope renewed. We feel the weight of the need around us, and at times our efforts can feel small in the face of overwhelming pain. Our resources are limited, our time finite, and our understanding incomplete. And yet, God continues to call His people—not to perfection, but to obedience.
That is why, when speaking about the year ahead at the Long Beach Rescue Mission, I prefer the word commitments rather than resolutions. These are not aspirations we hope to achieve or promises we make lightly. They are works already underway—grounded in prayer, shaped by obedience, and sustained by trust in God’s provision. They reflect a decision to show up, day after day, and to remain faithful to the calling God has placed before us.
In 2026, we are expanding Lydia House for women and children, adding 60 new beds, and opening Timothy House, a 12-bed home for young men transitioning out of the foster care system. It is extraordinary to consider that by the end of this summer, 72 more precious souls will be off the streets and safely in our care. These are not statistics; they are men, women, and children made in the image of God. They will sleep in secure beds, receive mental health support, learn life skills, and rebuild their lives on the foundation of the Gospel. This growth is not about buildings or numbers—it is about lives being restored, one story at a time.
Over the past several years, God has brought remarkable renewal to every building on our campus. From roofs to door frames, no space has been left untouched. Each improvement has been made with one purpose in mind: to create environments that reflect dignity, worth, and genuine care for those we serve. Scripture reminds us that God is making all things new (Revelation 21:5). As old structures are removed and new ones take their place, I am continually reminded of the deeper work God is doing through Christ—causing the old to pass away and ushering in new hearts, new minds, and new lives. The visible transformation of our facilities mirrors the quiet, holy work of renewal happening daily in the hearts of our residents.
Do You Feel Compelled to Help The Suffering in Our Community?
Most of us understand the idea of a search party. When someone is lost, communities come together and commit to finding them—refusing to give up, regardless of how long it takes or how difficult the search becomes. There is something deeply comforting about that kind of shared determination, perhaps because we hope others would do the same for us if we were the ones lost.
Here in Long Beach, we have many neighbors who are, in a very real sense, lost. Jesus calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves. If I were living on the street—without stable parents, carrying the weight of untreated trauma or mental illness, and facing each day without direction or hope—I would want someone to step in. I would want to be seen, known, and cared for.
The reality is that the vast majority of individuals experiencing homelessness are living with the effects of deep childhood trauma. Homelessness itself is not the root problem; it is the outcome of layered tragedies that most people have been spared from experiencing. When we begin to understand this, compassion grows—and compassion invites action rooted in both grace and truth.
What Comes After Compassion?
Compassion often begins with a simple question: What can I do? On a personal level, I encourage people to acknowledge those they encounter—to offer a smile, a greeting, and a reminder of dignity. Small acts of kindness matter, and they reflect the heart of Christ.
Beyond that, I invite you to partner with us.
The Long Beach Rescue Mission has served this community for more than 50 years. I have been here for 20 of those years, alongside a dedicated team that understands this work deeply. Each individual who comes through our doors carries a unique story, and walking with them toward healing requires patience, wisdom, consistency, and faith. Every year, we witness hundreds of lives transformed through the power of the Gospel—and I am living proof that this transformation is real.
I grew up in poverty, and 23 years ago I was struggling deeply with addiction—slowly dying under its weight. If you had told me then that one day I would have a family, a home, and the privilege of serving in this role, I would not have believed you. Yet Jesus met me in my brokenness and changed my life. That same hope is available to every person who enters the mission, no matter how far gone they may feel.
An Open Invitation
The Long Beach Rescue Mission is a special place. We receive no government funding, and more than 87% of our support comes from individuals in our community who believe in this work and have faithfully partnered with us. Your generosity makes what we do possible.
Many supporters, however, have never visited our campus. We are right here in Long Beach, at the corner of Anaheim Street and Pacific Avenue, and I would love to personally invite you to come and see the work firsthand. Walk the campus. Meet the people. Witness how lives are being rebuilt on the hope of God’s love.
Thank you for standing with us—and for helping turn commitment into lasting transformation.
The Long Beach Rescue Mission (LBRM) is a non-government affiliated, Christian-based homeless shelter in West Long Beach. The Mission accepts donations of any type and welcomes you to visit in-person to learn more about the way they are transforming lives, one person at a time. Want to learn more about the Timothy House expansion? Executive Director, Jeff Levine invites you to a personal tour. You can email Jeff at jlevine@lbrm.org or call him at (562) 277-4697 to schedule a visit and experience for yourself.
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