By CityHeART Resource Hub
Welcome to a brand new week at CityHeART. If you are used to seeing our “Hub Happenings” updates land in your inbox or on your feed on Friday afternoons, you might notice something different today. We are shifting our rhythm.
Mondays often get a bad reputation for being the hardest day of the week, but here at the Hub, we see them as a fresh opportunity to set the tone for everything that follows. By moving our digest to Monday, we are choosing to start our week by reflecting on the beauty of the week prior while leaning into the possibilities of the one ahead. It is a small shift, but in the world of community care, small shifts in rhythm can lead to big changes in how we connect.
The Beauty of the Monday Shift
For a long time, we looked at our weekly wrap-ups as a way to “close the book” on the week. But we realized that the work of CityHeART never really closes. The visits from our neighbors, the stories shared over coffee, and the creative energy in our Art from Ashes platforms do not stop when the sun goes down on Friday. By bringing these stories to you on Monday, we are inviting you to carry the spirit of connection with you through your entire work week.
This transition is part of a larger theme we are embracing this season: “New Rhythms and Choosing Connection.” Life is rarely a straight line. It is more like a series of patterns and pulses. Sometimes those rhythms feel chaotic or stressful, especially for our neighbors who are navigating housing insecurity or social isolation. Our goal at the CityHeART Resource Hub is to provide a steady, reliable beat that people can sync up with, a place where the rhythm is grounded in dignity and mutual respect.
By the Numbers: A Glimpse of Last Week
We often talk about the importance of stories over statistics, but sometimes the numbers help us visualize the scale of the community we are building together. This month so far has been a testament to the fact that people are looking for more than just services: they are looking for a place to belong.
This month so far, 182 guests have come through our doors. Each person who walks in is a neighbor with a name and a story. Some come for resources, while others come simply to sit in a space where they are seen and known.
We also shared 93 meals together. At CityHeART, we believe there is something sacred about breaking bread. It is the ultimate equalizer. When we sit down to eat, we are not “service providers” and “recipients.” We are just people sharing a meal and a conversation. Our HeARTy Foods initiative exists because we believe that no one should have to navigate their day on an empty stomach.
To see some of the energy that goes into these meal preparations, we would love to invite you to join us on a Thursday! It is a busy, joyful environment where every bag of groceries is packed with intention.
Welcome to the Team: Bryan and the Creative Rhythm
Connection often happens most naturally when we are making something together. That is why we are so excited to officially welcome Bryan to our volunteer family. Bryan is stepping in as a new creative group volunteer with the HeART of Survival, and he is already bringing a fresh perspective to our community.
Creativity is not just a hobby for us: it is a vital part of the healing process. Many of our neighbors have experienced trauma that is difficult to put into words. Art provides a different language. Whether it is through painting, sketching, or digital media, the act of creation allows us to process our environment and our internal lives in a way that feels safe.
The Philosophy: Why Connection is a Choice
The research around trauma and healing tells us something very important: healing happens in the context of relationships. We suffer in isolation, and we heal in community. That’s why we believe wholeheARTedly in the importance of making sure human connection is accessible for our entire community.
Connection is not something that just happens to us. It is a choice we make every day. It is the choice to look someone in the eye, to remember their name, and to listen without trying to “fix” them. At the Hub, we lean into rhythms that are trauma-responsive and attachment-based. We understand that many of our neighbors have had their trust broken by systems or individuals in the past. Building new rhythms of trust takes time, patience, and a whole lot of consistency.
When we choose connection, we are acknowledging that we are all interconnected. My well-being is tied to your well-being. When one person in our community finds a stable rhythm, it helps stabilize the rest of us. It is a beautiful, messy, ongoing process of becoming whole together.
A Note from Our Founder: Paige Pelonis
Hi,
Paige here.
I wanted to take a moment to be really honest with you. We often share the highlight reels: the smiles, the successful events, and the heartwarming stories. And all of that is true and real. But I also want to share the “behind the scenes” of the season we are currently in.
To be completely transparent, this is a heavy financial season for CityHeART. Like many of you, we are feeling the pinch of rising costs and shifting landscapes. There are nights when I sit with the budget and feel the weight of the responsibility we have to this community. It can be easy to let the stress of the “transactional” side of things (the bills, the rent, the overhead) overshadow the “relational” side of things.
But then I walk into the Hub on a Monday morning. I see a volunteer like Bryan laughing with a guest over a sketch. I see a neighbor who was feeling overwhelmed last week sitting quietly with a cup of coffee, looking at peace today. I see the 93 meals we shared, and I remember why we do this.
The work we do is wholeheARTed. It is personal. It is honest. We are not a giant, faceless machine; we are a small group of people trying to walk alongside our neighbors. We are in a season of “New Rhythms” ourselves, learning how to be sustainable while never losing the “heart” in CityHeART.
If you have been part of our journey for a while, thank you. If you are new here, welcome. We are so grateful for the ways you choose to connect with us, whether that is through a donation, a volunteer shift, or simply by reading these words and holding our neighbors in your thoughts.
We are doing this work together, and that is what makes it beautiful.
Moving Forward Together
As we step into this new week, I want to invite you to notice your own rhythms. Are there places where you feel disconnected? Are there areas where you could choose connection over convenience?
The Resource Hub is more than just a building. It is a philosophy of proximity. It is the belief that when we get close to one another, the barriers that divide us start to dissolve. We see it every day in the way our volunteers and guests interact. There is a shared humanity that transcends circumstances.
We are looking forward to everything this week has in store. We have more meals to share, more art to create, and more connections to foster. Thank you for being a part of this rhythm. Thank you for choosing to be part of the CityHeART family.
Let’s make it a great week, Long Beach. We will see you at the Hub.
WholeheARTedly,
Paige Pelonis
