On a somber evening in Long Beach, California, community members gathered to honor the memory of the 99 homeless individuals who passed away in the city in the year 2022. The vigil was organized to bring awareness to the ongoing struggles faced by those experiencing homelessness and to commemorate the lives of those who were lost.

Volunteers, including our very own President Mark Alipio, gathered at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park and lit candles for each unhoused person who passed on. 

Homelessness has long been a persistent problem in the United States, but it has become a growing crisis in recent years. In 2019, the City of Long Beach’s Homeless Point In Time Count recorded 1,863 unhoused people, compared to 3,296 in 2022.

The Long Beach Homeless Memorial, a yearly tradition hosted by the Long Beach Homeless Coalition with support from City workers and local clergy, returned to Forest Lawn after being paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the memorial was held on the longest night of the year, December 21st.

Read the full article on the Signal Tribune.