Although Long Beach Ballet’s productions are performed primarily by students, artistic director David Wilcox has developed them to a professional level.

Unite the People, an organization dedicated to fighting for the incarcerated, began from within Ceasar McDowell’s prison cell at San Quentin State Prison.

Since the organization’s 1991 founding, Rebuilding Together Long Beach has completed over 300 home repair and community revitalization projects, largely for elderly, disabled, and/or veteran community members. 

Through its 11 classes offered each week, pool members receive care targeted specifically to them, while experiencing the many benefits of heated pools.

The organization operates in quarterly, eight-week sessions, often with students returning again and again to following programs.

After the pandemic brought live performances to a standstill, the theater in March returned with the world premiere of “The Private Lives of Imaginary Friends,” by Ryan McClary (a Cal State Long Beach alum), and directed by Matthew Anderson.

Long Beach Community Table serves about 3,000 people each week, distributing food, clothing, and hygiene items. Not only do members of the organization go to eight parks each weekend, but there are also four open pantries during the week. 

“The saying goes, be who you want your younger self to be or wanted in their life, and I plan to do that til the day I die,” one of the founders, Travis Harlin, said.

Starting at 8:30 a.m. every Wednesday and Friday, Help Me Help You volunteers gather in assembly-line fashion as music plays, packing and loading up to 600 bags of fresh produce, meat and dairy products for a grocery Grab N’ Go event. 

The 14-year-old organization plans to reboot efforts in May, when We Love Long Beach will return with a neighborhood event, the first since before the pandemic.