The Westside Neighbors Shelter serves breakfast and dinner and offers 36 people a place to sleep. They may have to find somewhere else to go by the end of the year.
SEATTLE — West Seattle’s only overnight homeless shelter may close at the end of the year after donations dried up, leaving 36 people without a place to sleep.
The Westside Neighbors Shelter, run by volunteer Keith Hughes, has served breakfast and dinner to about 80 people daily for six years. During winter, it provides the only overnight accommodations in the area. But with donations down 40%, Hughes says he has run out of money to keep the overnight program open. The shelter’s breakfast and dinner services would continue.
The shelter’s financial crisis reflects a broader collapse in support for homeless services across western Washington. Several shelters in the region have shut down this year, forcing more people to seek help from remaining facilities.
Donations to the shelter have dropped 40% compared to the last three years, Hughes said. He attributed the decline to political uncertainty and blamed the Trump Administration.
“When you have a constant barrage saying they’re going to take away your Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps — people get scared, and they can’t donate,” Hughes said.
Operating the overnight shelter costs about $6,000 per week. Roughly $5,200 of that goes to two security guards, a requirement imposed by the city. The remainder covers utilities, food and other expenses.
Hughes said the operation has never faced this kind of financial crisis in its six-year history.
“This place runs on individual donations, the majority of which are $25 or less,” Hughes said.
Stephen Cowlishaw, who has been homeless for a year, said closure would be devastating. He warned that people currently using the shelter would likely end up in nearby parks or on the streets.
“There are struggling people here,” Cowlishaw said. “They’ll just hit the streets and it’s going to be quite a mess.”
Hughes said he is hopeful donations will come through. A board decision on whether to close the overnight shelter early is expected next week. If the shelter closes, Hughes said breakfast and dinner services would continue.
Despite the crisis, Hughes is determined to maintain operations through the holidays. “The operation goes on. I mean, sadly, the majority of the people here haven’t had a life as we have had in many years,” he said.
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