Westside Neighbors Network

MISSION

To offer warmth, food, safety, personal hygiene, and a place to rest for our unhoused neighbors, regardless of their gender or veteran status.

WHO WE ARE

The Westside Neighbors Network shelter is the only shelter of its kind in the West Seattle/White Center/Burien area. Housed in The American Legion Post 160 and hosted by West Seattle Veteran Center, it’s a privately owned and all volunteer-operated shelter. It serves unhoused adults with a place to stay warm and dry when the outside temperatures in winter fall to dangerous levels. All adults are welcome, regardless of gender, whether or not they’re a veteran.

The shelter offers daily hot breakfasts all year as a day center, along with laundry and shower services. When temperatures drop below 40 degrees in the winter the building becomes a night shelter providing overnight services for 40+ people. Hot dinners are provided by the local community as well as breakfast in the morning. It's one of the few places in Seattle that allows unhoused people to shower, do their laundry, and clean themselves up. 

The Westside Neighbors Network shelter receives no funding from city, county, state, or federal sources. There are no paid staff, mental health professionals, or housing advocacy specialists—only caring volunteers from the community willing to help people when they need it. The volunteers help provide food, clothes, and emergency services as the emergency is occurring, rather than “after all the paperwork is done.” It’s an ongoing process of learning, growing, and building on the successes together as community. 

RECOGNITION

On February 20, 2023, Governor Jay Inslee and First Lady Trudi Inslee toured the shelter and presented owner Keith Hughes with a certificate naming him Washingtonian of the Day for his initiative and efforts helping people needing shelter. The event was covered by the West Seattle Blog, West Seattle's primary news source: https://westseattleblog.com/2023/02/video-governor-visits-west-seattle-to-honor-keith-hughes-as-washingtonian-of-the-day/

On January 2, 2023, Keith Hughes was interviewed by KING5 about the shelter: https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/homeless/only-warming-center-west-seattle-need-volunteers/281-eb724b0c-c9a4-4e2e-a21d-fa0b0592b8a3

In 2022, Keith Hughes was named Westsider of the Year by the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce: https://www.westsideseattle.com/robinson-papers/2022/04/22/westside-award-winners-announced-keith-hughes-named-westsider-year