Key Takeaways
- Long Beach residents face overwhelming fear and harassment, yet community support offers a way to take action.
- Local organizations like Long Beach Community Table provide essential services to needs.
- Mutual aid and local advocacy are crucial as they prioritize dignity, safety, and support for varied vulnerable groups.
- ÓRALE, the Filipino Migrant Center, WomenShelter of Long Beach, and Cool Cat Collective exemplify community care and activism in their missions.
- Everyone can contribute through donations, volunteering, or simply sharing resources, emphasizing collective action in Long Beach.
Lately, I’ve been walking around Long Beach in a kind of daze, sickened by the constant barrage of events.
Angry. Sad. Tired. And honestly feeling pretty helpless at times.
Our community is living under a level of fear and harassment that no one should have to carry—neighbors watching their backs, families afraid to go to work or school, people being treated like problems instead of humans. It’s heavy. And it’s coming straight from the top. This administration has created an environment where intimidation feels intentional, and that kind of constant stress does real damage.
I’ve been asking myself the same question I know a lot of you are asking: What can we actually do right now?
We may not control federal policy, but we do control how we show up for each other here at home. Long Beach has always been a city that takes care of its own—quietly, loudly, imperfectly, but with heart.
So this list exists for one reason: to give us somewhere to put all of that anger, grief, and love. Whether you have money to donate, time to volunteer, skills to offer, or simply a desire to support in any way you can—there are local organizations doing the work on the ground, every single day.
None of this fixes everything. But it’s something. And right now, something is better than sitting alone with the weight of it all.
Below are organizations in Long Beach where you can show up, give back, and help protect the people who make this city what it is. We’re stronger when we move together.
Long Beach Community Table
If you’ve ever wondered what real community care looks like, this is it.
Long Beach Community Table (LBCT) isn’t a charity—it’s a mutual aid cooperative. That means everyone involved gives and receives. Volunteers are often recipients. Recipients often become volunteers. No hierarchy of “us helping them.” Just neighbors showing up for each other.
LBCT exists to support food- and housing-insecure residents across Long Beach with dignity, compassion, and shared responsibility. Their goal isn’t just to meet immediate needs (though they do that in a huge way)—it’s to build long-term self-sufficiency for individuals, families, and entire communities.
What They Do
Every single week, LBCT:
- Distributes 40,000+ pounds of fresh, nutritious food
- Serves 6,000+ people including unhoused neighbors, low-income families, students, older adults, veterans, and homebound residents
- Provides groceries, organic produce, clothing, shoes, and hygiene essentials
- Builds and maintains urban gardens across Long Beach to grow fresh, local food
- Offers education and resources to reduce dependence on broken systems
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, their work has expanded dramatically to meet rising needs—and they’ve kept showing up.
LBCT is also deeply connected to other local organizations, farmers’ markets, gardens, and small businesses, creating an interconnected web of support tackling food insecurity across Long Beach and greater LA.
Ways to Support Long Beach Community Table
Volunteer
There are many ways to get involved, whether you have a few hours or ongoing availability:
- Weekend Food & Hygiene Distribution
Saturdays & Sundays | 3–4 hour shifts | Age 14+
Help distribute food, toiletries, clothing, shoes, and essentials across Long Beach. - Homebound Harvest (Sunday Evenings)
Pack and/or deliver groceries to seniors, immune-compromised individuals, and families.
(Vehicle needed for deliveries; packing help always welcome.) - Urban Garden Team (Weekly or Monthly)
Help build, plant, maintain, and harvest gardens throughout the city—or host one. - Weekday Pickup Team (Mon–Fri, 18+)
Use your vehicle to transport donated food to senior housing, schools, veteran communities, sober living homes, and more. - Funding & Behind-the-Scenes Support
Grant writing, fundraising, donor development, event planning, and sponsorship support are all deeply needed.
Volunteer Contacts
- General volunteering: [email protected]
- Garden team / hosting a garden: [email protected]
- Pickup team & weekday routes: [email protected]
Donate
Food, hygiene items, clothing, and financial donations are always welcome.
Donation Drop-Off Location (during open hours):
3311 E 59th St
Long Beach, CA 90805
Why They Matter
LBCT reminds us that community care doesn’t have to be transactional, performative, or rooted in pity. It can be cooperative, dignified, and deeply human.
This is what it looks like when a city takes care of itself.
ÓRALE (Organizing Rooted in Abolition, Liberation, and Empowerment)
ÓRALE isn’t just an organization — it’s an immigrant-led movement rooted right here in Long Beach.
Their mission is bold and unapologetic: to end the criminalization of immigrants and secure protections and opportunities that allow immigrant communities to not just survive, but truly thrive. Everything they do is led by people who are directly impacted, grounded in lived experience, and shaped by the belief that dignity, safety, and self-determination are non-negotiable.
What ÓRALE Does
ÓRALE works at the intersection of immigrant justice, power building, and community care, focusing on both immediate needs and long-term systemic change.
Their work includes:
- Leadership development and political education for immigrant community members
- Organizing and advocacy to change laws, budgets, and policies that harm immigrant families
- Serving as a regional hub for resources, services, and “Know Your Rights” information
- Building coalitions across local, state, and national movements for justice
- Supporting economic, health, and legal empowerment initiatives
- Using art and culture as tools for healing, storytelling, and resistance
They don’t just respond to harm — they work to dismantle the systems that cause it.
Core Values
ÓRALE’s work is guided by deeply held values:
- Community: Led by and for the people most impacted
- Social Justice: An intersectional approach that recognizes overlapping systems of oppression
- Liberation & Abolition: Imagining and building systems rooted in care, not punishment
- Self-Determination: Supporting immigrant leaders to lead their own movements
- Dignity: Creating spaces where every person is respected and valued
- Collaboration: Building people-powered partnerships across sectors
- Empowerment: Cultivating collective power and radical imagination
Leadership Academy
Through programs like Academia de Liderazgo, ÓRALE offers political education and organizing training for low-income immigrant residents in Long Beach. Participants learn about identity, power, economic inequality, and advocacy — then take that knowledge directly into city council meetings, school boards, and community campaigns.
Graduates often continue into advanced leadership roles, co-facilitating programs and helping organize future cohorts.
Why ÓRALE Matters Right Now
In a time when immigrants are too often portrayed through fear-based and criminalizing narratives, ÓRALE actively challenges that framing. They uplift immigrant resilience, leadership, and contributions — while organizing for real protections like healthcare access, economic opportunity, family unity, and legal defense.
ÓRALE also collaborates locally on rapid response networks, immigrant defense efforts, and initiatives like the Long Beach Justice Fund, ensuring families are informed, prepared, and supported — creating power, not panic.
Ways to Support ÓRALE
Become a Monthly Donor
Recurring donations help sustain long-term movement building and immigrant-led advocacy.
Give in Other Ways
- Donate one-time or monthly
- Give appreciated stock
- Donate through a Donor Advised Fund
- Contribute via IRA (for those 70.5+)
For donation support or questions: [email protected]
Learn More / Get Involved
https://www.orale.org
ÓRALE reminds us that another world is possible — and that the people closest to the harm are also closest to the solutions. Supporting their work means standing for dignity, justice, and a Long Beach where immigrant communities can live without fear and with real opportunity.
Filipino Migrant Center (FMC)
The Filipino Migrant Center is a Filipino immigrant–led organization rooted in Long Beach and deeply embedded in the Westside community. For more than 15 years, FMC has worked to educate, organize, and mobilize low-income and working-class Filipino families—while building power, protecting rights, and strengthening community care.
Their work is grounded in a simple but powerful belief: the people most impacted by injustice should lead the fight to change it.
Visit the FMC Community Center
FMC recently opened a new community space in Westside Long Beach—a place for connection, services, organizing, and support.
1631 W. Burnett St
Long Beach, CA 90810
Community Hours:
Monday–Friday | 1 PM–5 PM
(or by appointment)
Hotline: (562) 453-3408
Email: [email protected]
Services FMC Offers
All services are free and centered on dignity, access, and empowerment:
- Leadership development & empowerment programs
- Know Your Rights education for workers
- Support filing wage claims or retaliation complaints
- Referrals for immigration relief, including citizenship, U-Visas, T-Visas, green cards, family petitions, and domestic violence–related cases
- Help applying for AB60 driver’s licenses, Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and other public assistance
- Translation services
- Community referrals and advocacy support
Programs & Community Work
FMC’s work spans generations and meets people where they are:
- Workers’ Rights Programs: Organizing low-wage workers and caregivers to fight wage theft, retaliation, and unsafe conditions
- Youth Leadership & Empowerment: Workshops and summer programs for Filipino high school students in Long Beach and Carson, combining culture, art, history, and organizing
- Walking Club: A long-running weekly wellness and connection space for Westside residents and older people
- Kapwa Kids: A cultural and social justice–focused program for Filipino children ages 4–10
- Community Campaigns: Including Stop Asian Hate efforts, labor trafficking awareness, and immigrant defense work
Why FMC Matters Right Now
FMC plays a critical role in supporting immigrant families facing labor exploitation, detention, raids, and economic instability. From Know Your Rights trainings and attorney consultations to cash assistance, food distribution, and policy advocacy at City Hall, FMC consistently shows up when the community needs it most.
They’ve helped secure major victories—like a $2.3 million wage theft citation for Filipino caregivers—while continuing to build long-term leadership and resilience in Long Beach.
Get Involved or Support FMC
Volunteer or Intern
Community members and students can volunteer year-round or receive internship credit.
Donate or Become a Member
Membership dues and donations help sustain FMC’s organizing, services, and community programs.
Donate / Learn More: https://www.filipinomigrantcenter.org
Volunteer & membership inquiries: [email protected]
Follow FMC
- Facebook: Filipino Migrant Center
- Instagram: @filipinomigrantcenter
The Filipino Migrant Center reminds us what community looks like when care, culture, and justice are woven together. Supporting FMC means supporting immigrant families, worker dignity, and a stronger Long Beach for everyone.
WomenShelter of Long Beach
Some organizations exist because someone saw a need and refused to look away.
WomenShelter of Long Beach is one of them.
Founded in 1977, WomenShelter of Long Beach (WSLB) has helped thousands of survivors and families escape domestic violence and begin the long work of healing. Their mission is clear and unwavering: to eliminate domestic violence through compassionate intervention, education, and personal empowerment.
If You or Someone You Know Needs Help
Support is available 24 hours a day:
24-Hour Crisis Hotline: (562) 437-4663
Domestic Violence Resource Center: (562) 437-7233
Email: [email protected]
Help is confidential, compassionate, and always available.
What WomenShelter of Long Beach Does
WSLB provides comprehensive, trauma-informed services for survivors and their children, including:
- Immediate crisis intervention
- Emergency supportive housing
- Legal advocacy and court accompaniment
- Counseling and social services support
- Basic needs assistance
- School enrollment support
- Youth and adult empowerment programs
- Resources and referrals
They also lead community education, trainings, school programs, and outreach aimed at preventing violence before it begins.
A Brief History (and Why It Matters)
WomenShelter was incorporated in 1977 by Dr. Virginia Corbett, a local psychologist and activist who became frustrated watching her clients face abuse with nowhere safe to go. She donated her own home to become WSLB’s first supportive housing facility—a modest four-bedroom house that became one of the first domestic violence shelters in Southern California.
In those early days, staff—many of them survivors themselves—worked out of the living room on TV trays. No offices. No safety net. Just determination.
As the need grew, so did the organization. By the 1980s and 1990s, WSLB expanded counseling and support services throughout Long Beach, partnering with community centers, hospitals, and organizations like the YWCA. In 1999, they opened the Domestic Violence Resource Center, the first storefront counseling and outreach center of its kind in the Greater Long Beach area—making help visible, accessible, and nonjudgmental.
Through every phase, one thing has remained constant: a commitment to dignity, safety, and compassion for survivors.
Ways to Support WomenShelter of Long Beach
Donate
Every tax-deductible dollar helps survivors reach safety and rebuild their lives through housing, advocacy, and comprehensive support services.
In-Kind Donations
WSLB accepts new items only, including essentials and gift cards that help survivors secure what they need most.
Drop-off hours:
Monday–Friday | 8:30 AM–4:00 PM
Questions: [email protected] | (562) 437-7233
Volunteer
Volunteers are essential to WSLB’s work and are recruited on an as-needed basis. Opportunities include:
- Hotline support
- Court accompaniment
- Donation sorting and organization
- Donation pick-ups
- Handy helpers (light maintenance and setup)
- Special events & holiday gift wrapping
- Clerical and front desk support
- Community outreach, tabling, and youth education
Some roles require:
- 40-hour state-mandated domestic violence advocate training
- Background check (LiveScan)
- Current TB test
Volunteer inquiries:
Jenny Barbosa, Director of Outreach & Education
[email protected] | (562) 437-7233 ext. 1024
Why They Matter
For nearly five decades, WomenShelter of Long Beach has quietly and consistently stood between survivors and further harm. Their work reminds us that safety is a community responsibility—and that real change happens when people are given the tools, support, and dignity they deserve.
Supporting WSLB means standing for a Long Beach where everyone can live without fear.
Cool Cat Collective
And here’s an organization to support when you just need to take a breath and cuddle a fuzzy kitty.
Buy cool stuff. Help cool cats.
Honestly? We love a mission that’s this clear.
Cool Cat Collective is a local Long Beach shop built around a simple idea: put cats first—while also uplifting artists, makers, and the community that loves them. It’s part boutique, part community hub, part cat rescue support system… and yes, there are actual cats hanging out inside.
Twenty percent of all profits from Cool Cat Collective are donated to local cat rescues, TNR groups, and nonprofits working to improve the lives of animals in our city. Your purchases directly fund real, on-the-ground work.
What They’re About
Cool Cat Collective exists to:
- Center the well-being of cats in every decision
- Bring awareness to the cat overpopulation crisis
- Support and amplify rescue groups already doing the hard work
- Create a welcoming space for cat lovers to gather, collaborate, and learn
- Champion local artists and makers through curated goods and art shows
- Bring joy, playfulness, and community into the room (with a few whiskers involved)
Why It’s a “Collective”
This isn’t just a shop—it’s a shared effort between cat rescuers, animal welfare workers, artists, and community members. The goal is collective action: benefiting both cats and creatives through education, fundraising, exposure, and connection.
How They Help Cats
- Cool Cat Collective hosts adoptable foster cats in partnership with TippedEars
- They donate a portion of sales to local rescue organizations
- They host cat-centric community events that educate and engage the public
Yes, you can literally meet your future cat while shopping.
Meet Their Rescue Partner: TippedEars
TippedEars is a nonprofit focused on addressing the root of cat overpopulation through TNVR (Trap/Neuter/Vaccinate/Return). Community cats are key to breaking the cycle of endless litters and unnecessary suffering.
Along the way, TippedEars encounters kittens, friendly cats, injured cats, or those with medical needs—cats who do thrive indoors. Those are the foster cats you’ll see lounging at Cool Cat Collective.
What Are Community Cats?
Community cats are outdoor cats who live in neighborhoods, alleys, and shared spaces—sometimes cared for by feeders, sometimes surviving on their own. Some may be feral, some friendly, but “community cat” is a more accurate and humane term than “stray.”
Ways to Support (Even If You Don’t Buy Anything)
- Foster or adopt through their rescue partners
- Support TippedEars directly
- Attend community events
- Share their mission and help spread awareness
Visit Cool Cat Collective
2741 E 4th St C
Long Beach, CA 90814
Hours:
Wednesday–Sunday | 10 AM–6 PM
Learn more, shop, or get involved:
https://coolcatcollective.co/
Cool Cat Collective proves that helping animals doesn’t have to feel heavy—it can be joyful, creative, and rooted in community. You walk in for the art, stay for the cats, and leave knowing you helped make Long Beach a little kinder.
None of these organizations can fix everything on their own. And none of us can either.
But together? This is what care looks like. This is what resistance looks like. This is what it means to refuse to let fear, harassment, and cruelty be the loudest voices in our city.
Whether you donate $5, volunteer a few hours, share a hotline, walk someone to a resource center, or simply stay informed—it all matters. These groups are doing the work every day, quietly and consistently, and they deserve our support now more than ever.
Long Beach has always been a place where community isn’t just a word—it’s an action. When systems fail people, we show up for each other. When things feel overwhelming, we move together.
If you’re feeling angry, sad, exhausted, or helpless right now—you’re not alone. Let this list be a place to put some of that weight. A place to start. A reminder that even in heavy times, there are people here choosing care, dignity, and solidarity.
Long Beach, let’s take care of our own. Always.
No. While donations are incredibly important, many of these organizations also rely on:
Volunteers
Community advocates
Skill-based support
Sharing information and hotlines
Showing up to events, trainings, or meetings
Support looks different for everyone—and it all matters.
Many of the organizations listed are immigrant-led, trauma-informed, and confidentiality-focused. They exist specifically to support people navigating fear, enforcement, and uncertainty. If you’re unsure, start with organizations offering Know Your Rights education or anonymous hotlines.
Yes. Many organizations provide training or have roles that don’t require prior experience. Some opportunities are short-term, others ongoing. If you’re unsure where to start, reach out directly to the organization you’re drawn to—they’ll guide you.
Yes. Every organization listed is actively serving Long Beach and has a proven track record of community-based work. Many have been operating here for decades and are deeply embedded in local neighborhoods.
Sharing accurate information saves time—and sometimes lives. You can:
Share this post with friends, family, and neighbors
Save important hotline numbers
Follow these organizations on social media
Talk about them in group chats, schools, workplaces, or faith spaces
No—and it’s not meant to be. Long Beach has a vast network of people and organizations doing meaningful work. This is a starting point. If you know of an organization that should be included, reach out—we want this to grow.
Yes. Caring for yourself is not abandoning the cause. Rest is part of sustainability. Even staying informed or holding space for someone else counts as showing up.
