At only 18 years old, Yishreal Maxwell has experienced many challenges in his life.
He lived in a car with his grandmother and younger brother from the ages of 11 to 17. Their living situation made it difficult for the brothers to get an education, but Maxwell dedicated himself to learning how to read and even teaching his brother. At 17, they decided it was time for a different path and ran away to stay with a friend, and eventually went into the foster care system.
After about 10 months, Maxwell decided he wanted to start taking care of himself, while his brother stayed and continued to do well. Maxwell’s social worker connected him to the Long Beach Rescue Mission, where he now has a bed, resources and more – a place where he can get on his feet and thrive, he said.
Maxwell is one of the 12 young men from Long Beach who will be served at the newly opened shelter operated by the Long Beach Rescue Mission, dubbed Timothy House. This new shelter will serve young men ages 18 to 24 who have been homeless or are aging out of the foster care system.
Local nonprofit, city and community leaders gathered in front of the mission’s new shelter to celebrate with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house on Thursday, March 5.
The new shelter was built out of a portion of the Rescue Mission’s Samaritan House shelter, 1335 Pacific Ave. It was the building’s garage, but Jeff Levine, president and CEO of the mission, had a vision to create more space for healing and hope for those who are homeless, especially young men.
The vision for the project began in September 2024, Levine said. With the help of the city, county and community partners, by January 2025, the mission was breaking ground on Timothy House.
The shelter was completed this year and will provide 12 beds for homeless youth, as well as a day room, courtyard and more, officials said.
Long Beach Rescue Mission, city and community leaders celebrated the opening of the new shelter for young men ages 18 to 24, dubbed Timothy House, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, March 5, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Yishreal Maxwell, 18, shared his life story and how he found the Long Beach Rescue Mission on Thursday, March 5, 2026. Maxwell is one of the 12 young men who will be moving into the Long Beach Rescue Mission’s new shelter for young men ages 18 to 24, dubbed Timothy House. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach Rescue Mission’s new shelter, dubbed Timothy House, will serve young men ages 18 to 24 who have experienced homelessness or aged out of the foster care system. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Yishreal Maxwell, 18, shared his life story and how he found the Long Beach Rescue Mission on Thursday, March 5, 2026. Maxwell is one of the 12 young men who will be moving into the Long Beach Rescue Mission’s new shelter for young men ages 18 to 24, dubbed Timothy House. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Jeff Levine, president and CEO of the Long Beach Rescue Mission, at the ribbon-cutting and open house for the mission’s new shelter serving young men ages 18 to 24, dubbed Timothy House, on Thursday, March 5, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach Rescue Mission celebrates the grand opening of Timothy House, a new shelter that will serve young men ages 18 to 24, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house on Thursday, March 5, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
(L-R) LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn and LBRM President and CEO Jeff Levine at the ribbon-cutting and open house for the mission’s new shelter serving young men ages 18 to 24, dubbed Timothy House, on Thursday, March 5, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach Rescue Mission celebrates the grand opening of Timothy House, a new shelter that will serve young men ages 18 to 24, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house on Thursday, March 5, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Chair of the LBRM Board of Directors Kristen Jones at the ribbon-cutting and open house for the mission’s new shelter serving young men ages 18 to 24, dubbed Timothy House, on Thursday, March 5, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Mayor Rex Richardson at the ribbon-cutting and open house for the Long Beach Rescue Mission’s new shelter serving young men ages 18 to 24, dubbed Timothy House, on Thursday, March 5, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach Rescue Mission, city and community leaders celebrated the opening of the new shelter for young men ages 18 to 24, dubbed Timothy House, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, March 5, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
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Long Beach Rescue Mission, city and community leaders celebrated the opening of the new shelter for young men ages 18 to 24, dubbed Timothy House, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, March 5, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
“It’s about dignity,” Levine said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “When people walk in, they feel healing, they feel hope, and that’s our heart. This has been an incredible process where our whole community has come alongside the mission and God has provided through them.”
Timothy House adds to the work the Rescue Mission does for Long Beach and those who are homeless in the community. The Samaritan House provides 150 beds for men, while the Lydia House provides 50 beds for women and children; the latter will soon expand as well. The Apostle House also provides 15 beds for men with disabilities.
“What we want to provide here is not just a facility, but the mentoring and biblical training,” Kristen Jones, chair of the Long Beach Rescue Mission’s Board of Directors, said about the Timothy House. “We want them to have a family and a stable place from which they can launch.”
The project was originally estimated to cost around $650,000, Levine said, $500,000 of which came from Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn’s office, as well as donors in the community.
“For me, today represents more than just the opening of a building, a former garage,” Hahn said during the ceremony. “It represents hope, stability and a fresh start for young men who deserve the opportunity to build a strong future.”
The Long Beach Rescue Mission continues to be one of the city’s biggest partners in addressing homelessness, Mayor Rex Richardson said. Now, the mission joins in efforts to end youth homelessness in the city, he added.
“If we can intervene in a young person’s life during the transition age, you can prevent an entire lifetime of homelessness,” Richardson said during the ceremony. “I personally believe that young people have incredible potential if you just give them the opportunity, and it’s our job as a city to provide opportunities for every young person to achieve their highest and best potential.”
The resources that will be provided by the mission, as well as other opportunities through the city, will help young people who have experienced challenges – just like Maxwell – have a chance to thrive, officials said.
“Today, I’m incredibly, incredibly grateful to be part of the Long Beach Rescue Mission and my journey has taught me this,” Maxwell said, “never forget where you came from because where you came from does not dictate where you’re going to be today. It doesn’t decide where you’re going to be tomorrow, so continue to strive, continue to be great, continue to be that light because God does have a plan for you.”