After being a stay-at-home mom for 17 years, Marisa Garcia found herself enduring a painful divorce that left her without a home and living in a hotel with her three children. She began cleaning homes to earn money but could not secure an apartment because she could not provide proof of income and had no credit.

Garcia ended up at the Long Beach Rescue Mission’s Lydia House, which is designed specifically to address the unique challenges women and children face when living on the street. At Lydia House, you will often hear children laughing and women talking or praying, and you will undoubtedly be greeted with a smile.

Seeing the transformation of the women who live in the 50-bed facility is impressive. They often come from situations filled with abuse, addiction and abandonment, but are committed to working toward a better life.

But their work toward a better life was almost derailed on December 22, 2023, when one of the residents intentionally set a Christmas tree on fire. Luckily, there were no injuries, and the damage appeared limited enough that residents could stay at Lydia House — or so they thought.

Repairs needed after the fire turned out to be more extensive than they realized, according to Chaplain Torie Russell, the program director for the Mission.

“We found out that everything had been damaged. Smoke had run through the entire house,” he said.

The 36 people living at Lydia House had to move out by Sunday.

With nowhere to go, the easiest solution would’ve been to simply kick them out “and say, I’m sorry, come back in two weeks or three months,” Garcia said. But that’s not what happened.

Rescue Mission Executive Director Jeff Levine immediately began calling donors for help funding alternate accommodations for the women under his care. One of his first calls was to Steven Bryson, founder of the Never Forgotten Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to helping those who are less fortunate. Bryson acted swiftly, dropping off a check for $20,000 the next day.

“You can’t make this up. This is just another example of how God continues to move and bless the work that we are doing here,” Levine said.

Faith Presbyterian Church also answered the call and gave another $30,000.

Levine estimated the $50,000 was enough to put residents up in a hotel for two weeks while construction continued at Lydia House, but he now needed to secure an adequate space.

Often, hotels that host homeless people in Long Beach have deplorable conditions, as the Long Beach Post found in a recent investigation. These hotels were not options for the Mission.

“It was important to make sure the women and families could be somewhere that made them feel safe and gave them dignity,” Levine said, so he called Alfonso Perez-Vega, hotel manager at the Westin in Downtown Long Beach.

Perez-Vega had reached out to Levine the day before the fire asking how the Westin could give back to the community. Now there was an opportunity.

“It’s always so important to give back and [give] thanks for the community that allows us to be here and do our business here,” Perez-Vega said.

The Westin was able to book rooms for the residents at a reduced rate, set up gift bags for the families and provide food accommodations at cost. The generosity of the Westin allowed the Rescue Mission to provide a daily stipend for the women so they won’t have to travel back to the Mission for their daily meals.

“We’re excited because we know this is a five-star hotel,” says Chaplain Russell. “To God be the glory. God wants the best for his people.”

The Rescue Mission knows construction is often riddled with mishaps and delays, so they’re still asking for help. You can donate your time, money or services by visiting the Long Beach Rescue Mission online.