Strengthening Support Through Collaboration
The YOUConnect Program is a volunteer- and peer-run initiative designed to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of case management services offered by primary service providers across Long Beach. By directly supporting case managers, YOUConnect extends their bandwidth, ensures continuity of care, and deepens the impact of services provided to Veterans, seniors, and families with children experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness.
What YOUConnect Offers:
Case Management Support:
- Volunteers and peers assist case managers with essential tasks such as organizing paperwork, following up with clients, and coordinating resources, allowing case managers to focus on their most critical responsibilities.
- Support includes helping with housing applications, healthcare navigation, and connecting clients with vital community services.
Continuity of Care:
- YOUConnect ensures that clients do not fall through the cracks by providing follow-up support and bridging gaps in care. This helps maintain consistent progress for individuals and families navigating complex systems.
Customized Peer Support:
- Peer volunteers bring lived experience to the table, creating a compassionate and relatable support network for clients. These peers assist in building trust, sharing coping strategies, and empowering individuals to take the next steps toward stability.
Enhanced Service Impact:
- By increasing the capacity of case management teams, YOUConnect enables service providers to reach more clients and deliver deeper, more meaningful support. This directly translates to improved outcomes for the community.
Immediate Access to Direct Services & Resources
- HeARTy Foods: a weekly food bank that offers a heART-forward approach to food security for Veterans, seniors, and families in Long Beach and includes ready-made, home-cooked meals sponsored by the Port of Long Beach via CityHeART’s Free Lunch Fridays Project. This is a peer-led, sustainability-driven, and waste-reducing project that provides nutritious and delicious meals to CityHeART guests all week long while providing kitchen and health education to our community.
- HeART to Home: direct services, immediate resources, and long-term care coordination for households in and around Long Beach impacted by the LA fires
- Veterans Homefront HeARTLine: a dedicated resource bank and support system for Veterans experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity in Long Beach
- WholeHeART WholeHealth: a FREE weekly health and wellness clinic that provides access to community health nursing, educational workshops, screenings and assessments, healthcare coordination, and mental health services
Our Impact: Through collaboration and dedication, the CityHeART’s YOUConnect has become an integral part of the Long Beach service landscape. By working hand-in-hand with case managers, volunteers and peers help transform lives by ensuring that services are delivered with care, consistency, and compassion.
Get Involved: Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of others? YOUConnect offers opportunities to:
- Volunteer as a peer support assistant.
- Join our team of dedicated case management support staff.
- Donate funds or in-kind resource items such as food, clothing, or household essentials to sustain and grow this vital program.
Together, we can build a stronger, more connected community by ensuring that no one is left behind. Reach out today to learn how you can be a part of this transformative work.
UConnect LB Resource Database
UConnect Long Beach is a comprehensive, up-to-date resource database hosted by CityHeART, designed to streamline access to critical services for case managers and their clients. From housing opportunities and food assistance to health care, employment, and social connections, UConnect LB ensures no one falls through the cracks by providing a centralized hub for essential resources.
Click any icon below to pull up a comprehensive list of local, Long Beach resources in the category.
