Increase Showering Capacity at WNN Shelter

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 volunteer-operated shelter open to any adult in need, whether or not they’re a veteran, regardless of gender. 

Although the American Legion’s primary mission is to support veterans in the local community, Keith Hughes, Commander of Post 160 and president of West Seattle Veterans Service Center, realized that he could also use the resources of the Hall to help people who needed warmth and shelter during the winter. In 2019, he began opening the Hall as a warming center in the mornings, and as an overnight shelter on the very coldest winter nights. 

The shelter offers daily hot breakfasts all year, and dinner, cots, and blankets November through March for indoor overnight stays when the winter temperatures fall to dangerous levels. 

It's also one of the few places in Seattle that lets unhoused people shower, do their laundry, and clean themselves up. Living outside means that good personal hygiene is difficult or impossible to maintain. Feeling clean helps a person retain their sense of confidence, self-worth, and self-respect. “Low self-esteem is a big issue, and being clean helps people keep their dignity,” says Hughes. Good personal hygiene in a community also helps keep infectious diseases such as COVID-19, colds, and flu from spreading.

Currently the building has two single-stall restrooms and one restroom with a single shower. When 16 to 20 people share the space overnight in the winter, “it becomes a problem, especially when everyone gets up at the same time in the morning,” Hughes says. He hopes to update the facilities and build personal hygiene capacity by adding more stalls, more sinks, and a shower in each restroom. The added shower capacity would be especially helpful, Hughes says, because the current single shower is in use constantly from 7 to 10 a.m. all year, and additionally from 5 to 10 p.m. November through March. He hopes the improvements can be made before the cold weather shelter opens again for overnights in November. The 1930s-era building is in dire need of such updates: “This project will bring the building and restrooms into full ADA compliance,” says Hughes. 

The Westside Neighbors Network shelter receives no funding from city, county, federal, or state 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. 

Hughes hopes to raise the funds by end of September in order to get the project done by the shelter’s normal opening time in November. He also welcomes donations of materials and labor from any local businesses and professionals willing to help.

Please consider making a donation to improve this important community space, giving unhoused people ready access to clean clothes and a hot shower.