Long Beach has a newly renovated refuge for kids going through a tough time.
On Tuesday, city leaders celebrated the reopening of a comforting kids’ corner at the Multi-Service Center, Long Beach’s one-stop hub for people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Children regularly show up there with their parents who are looking for help, and the kid’s corner provides them with a calming space amid a turbulent time.
It’s decorated in a nature theme with a decorative tree structure overhanging a table in the center. It’s filled with games, books, plushies and action figures like Buzz Lightyear to play with.
“[We want to] find a space where children could feel comfort and feel peace at times where their lives may otherwise feel a little chaotic, and that’s what we really want to bring here,” said Alejandra Moses, who helped bring the project to fruition.
Moses is part of a small group currently participating in a well-established local leadership development program called Leadership Long Beach.
As part of the 10-month-long program, the group must complete a service project. This cohort decided their project should revolve around the Multi-Service Center.
“We wanted a really tangible, long-lasting impact,” said Sofia Hodjat, who is in the class and works as the healthy aging center coordinator with the Long Beach Health Department. “We really wanted a physical space and this was the opportunity to transform that.”
According to Moses, the vast majority of kids who come to the Multi-Service Center are under the age of 5, so having something that was sensory-based, calming and tangible was important.
There is also a space right near the corner where kids can close the door for privacy.
“Those are all vital things and trying to, the best we can, have a space that is thoughtful of the safety of children while also serving people that are coming in and all different spaces […] having that breakup is vital,” said Paul Duncan, the Homeless Services Bureau Manager for the city of Long Beach. “I think it’s just part of being a more welcome and inclusive space and not having additional stress and anxiety on the parent and that kid.”
Along with Leadership Long Beach, donors like architecture and design firm Gensler were also on board with the project and helped provide resources.
The project was ultimately funded with 100% donations, according to Jennifer Rice Epstein, spokesperson for the Long Beach Health Department.
Now that it’s complete, “This is a place where kids can come and have a moment of comfort and peace. …,” said Brianna Seabron, a member of the Leadership Long Beach class.