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About Our Mission
Since 1972, Long Beach Rescue Mission has opened its doors to thousands of men, women and children. The Mission provides food, clothing, shelter and spiritual guidance to the homeless and less fortunate people of the community.
Long Beach Rescue Mission stands dedicated to helping individuals overcome the homeless cycle, achieve long term goals and make a world of difference in today’s society.
We also provide meals and worship services in the evenings and on Sundays to senior citizens and neighborhood families. The Mission provides loving care and spiritual guidance to help people who are homeless find purpose, direction and hope.
Long Beach Rescue Mission is comprised of two facilities. The Samaritan House serves as a home for men while Lydia House offers a safe haven for women and their children.
Individuals work with a case manager either in our 90 day Case Management Program or our one-year New Life Program, which helps men and women overcome substance abuse, addictions and life’s deeper challenges.
LONG BEACH RESCUE MISSION HISTORY
Through challenging times – and the work of dedicated founders, staff, donors, volunteers and community partners – Long Beach Rescue Mission has helped thousands of at-risk individuals for 50 years, transforming many lives.
Humble Beginnings - 1972
With a direct vision and call from God to begin a rescue mission and share the gospel message to the homeless, founders Wayne and Janet Teuerle gathered support in the early seventies to open Long Beach Rescue Mission in a former Navy Locker Club. This 5,000 square foot building included a Chapel, kitchen, dining room, showers and 40 beds with Gospel services nightly. With faithful support from the community and churches, the Teuerle’s served 27 meals on opening day offering a chapel service and a place to stay for 16 homeless men. That was August 7, 1972. Later, in 1973, Wayne and Janet Teuerle opened a safe haven for women and children with the purchase of an old 1902 Sears Roebuck catalogue house for our original Lydia House, funded in part by Pacesetters Ladies Auxiliary.
Visionary Growth - 1982
To embrace the Teuerle’s broader vision along with an expanding local homeless population, the Teuerle’s designed and built a new and larger facility (20,000 sq. ft.) on Pacific Avenue in 1982. Named Samaritan House, it was a truly special place, where men with different backgrounds and challenges could get the in-depth help they needed. Samaritan House was later expanded in 1987 to include two additional dorms, classrooms, an administrative office and upstairs staff apartments. Currently, the Samaritan House has a 133 bed capacity.
Then, in 1985, a nearby building bought earlier as a youth center was demolished to make way for the new Lydia House, with three times as many beds as the original location. Our Lydia House is now a 50 bed safe haven for women and children.
The Mission’s Growing Service to the Greater Long Beach Area
Long Beach Rescue Mission’s programs now have an established curriculum and structure to ensure our guests don’t just experience a “revolving door” ministry at the Mission. Case Management has been designed to help people connect to available resources, regain momentum, and see their way off the street. Our one-year, New Life Program offers education, counseling and spiritual guidance to overcome a person’s deeper life challenges. In addition, our Bridge program has been added, assisting our graduates into the community with housing and employment.
This past year, LBRM served a total of 164,373 meals to our community, provided 73,556 bed nights, 32,441 Life Skills Classes and 4,422 Counseling sessions.
A Light to the Long Beach Community for 50 Years
The Long Beach Rescue Mission continues to be a light to our community by improving the quality of life of the hurting and homeless through loving and equipping them to be reconciled: To God, To Self, To Family, To Society. Today, the Long Beach Rescue Mission celebrates the success of 86% of our New Life Program graduates who have transitioned into independent living and employment.
We thank all of our supporters who invest in this life-changing ministry, giving hope for new life. With God’s help and your partnership, we will continue to faithfully move forward as we strive to ease homelessness in our community.