YOU CAN HELP: West Seattle’s only winter-weather shelter needs volunteers

| How to help | Triangle | West Seattle news

Once again, American Legion Post 160 in The Triangle is opening a winter-weather overnight shelter – but we just learned this afternoon that volunteers are urgently needed. Post commander Keith Hughes says they are required to have two people on site at all times while open as a shelter, and they need help filling those slots. Ideally a volunteer could be there either 6 pm-midnight or midnight-6 am, but if you can only give a few hours, they’ll take the help they can get. If you have questions, or are ready to volunteer, call Post 160 any time between 8 am and 6 pm at 206-932-9696, or call Keith directly at 206-941-6654.

CeeBee December 22, 2021 (4:51 pm)

It’s amazing that this is the only shelter planned for during severe weather for here in (bridgeless) West Seattle – I’m willing to help. Are there any churches out there with social services committees who can also help?

Cinda Stenger December 23, 2021 (9:35 am)

Thank you Ceebee for our willingness to help – yes! You can help by providing dinner and breakfasts for the men. Keith has been doing this all by himself, so now it’s time for the local community to help out. There are 12-15 men a night, so an aluminum roaster pan of food will feed them. Spaghetti, rice and beans, chicken and rice casserole, enchiladas – think of your favorite dish that would warm the heart and bellies of our unsheltered neighbors. For breakfast: egg casseroles, a big pan of sausages and biscuits, a bag of pancake mix and bottle of syrup, etc. They have a stove and oven on site so can receive any prepared food to be heated up. They also have a fridge and deep freezer to store any donated prepared meals. This cold snap is forecasted through next week so West Seattle neighbors please join in by bringing food, as well as staying on site.The Westside Interfaith Network (WIN) is a group of volunteers from local congregations- we are christian, catholic, jewish, buddhist, muslim, universalists and a whole bunch of friends of whatever belief or non-belief – our communality is that we believe in the humanity and dignity of all. We are rallying our network to provide overnight assistance and to bring in food and supplies. Anyone can join in.Also needed are basic supplies: coffee (like a big can of ground Folgers), hot chocolate, cream and sugar, as well as toiletries, there is a shower for them! Shampoo, conditioner, soap, as well as laundry detergent for washing their clothes. This is a wonderful gift that The American Legion is providing, and yes, the only facility on the westside. We have been advocating with the city for awhile to have a shelter and/or Urban Rest Stop here but to no avail. The more food and supplies we can get to them before we are all frozen in at home on our hills the better! A special appeal to our big-hearted neighbors living in the Alaska Junction: you can walk to the site anytime, whereas the rest of us will be stuck at home, so please consider helping out once the snow and ice prevails.

WS Res December 23, 2021 (10:28 am)

Can you share some more details about who to contact to coordinate with? It would be a shame if there were too much food for one meal and nothing for another.
Mary R Sweeney December 26, 2021 (3:19 pm)

Hi, Cinda
Can you send a message out to all of WIN (Westside Interfaith Network)? I know that would get results!! I have already notified my own St. Vincent de Paul conferences…Thanks for this info and all you do!Mary

CeeBee December 23, 2021 (11:46 am)

If people can bring food, that would be fantastic as stated, and coordinate directly with Keith whose email and phone number are in the original post. But I know that even more urgent is the need for bodies to staff the center. Keith has been running it as a one-man operation and that is not sustainable. He needs people to help keep the center open

Cinda December 23, 2021 (11:50 am)

No worries- thank you for your suggestion and care. There is both refridgeration and freezer space in the building, so any and all donations can be frozen for future use. Best to bring prepared food in a aluminum roaster pan, prepped to be frozen, just to be safe. Otherwise there are the two phone numbers to reach Keith for more information. Thank you

Lisa December 24, 2021 (3:38 pm)

Trying to boost the message that overnight staffing is needed so that Keith can go home to sleep (he staffs the place 24/7 otherwise! ) Stop by the Hall and check in with him….the set up is pretty COVID safe, with masks required, multiple HEPA air purifiers running, and folks are sleeping in separate gym-like room with a door that closes…unless there’s some emergency you don’t even have to go in there. Keith says it’s OK to sleep during an overnight shift…there’s couches in the lobby and a cot in his office …. This shelter is the only one in West Seattle…and temps are predicted to drop into the teens early next week…

WS Res December 25, 2021 (10:34 pm)

I’ll bump this up with a comment – we were able to take by supplies but cannot offer to stay right now, particularly since I’ve come down with either stomach flu or very weirdly-presenting COVID (getting a test tomorrow – ironically my WA State tracker app went off while I was waiting for results from a rapid test, but it was a brief exposure 9 days ago). Hopefully some folks can come down and sit a spell as the coldest nights are still ahead of us.

WS Res December 26, 2021 (11:28 am)

Bumping this up with another comment.

Moma73 December 26, 2021 (1:50 pm)

I cannot find the original post with Keith’s email, can anyone share please? We’d like to reach out and help.

WSB December 26, 2021 (1:58 pm)

The phone #’s in the story are the best ways to contact him. He’s on site pretty much continuously, including right now. – TR

Julia December 26, 2021 (7:43 pm)

The shelter will be open as long as the temps are below freezing. Probably over a week. If you can help later in the week, please let Keith know so he can fill out the schedule. Thank you!

Julia Chase December 26, 2021 (8:06 pm)

Overnight volunteers are most needed! (OK to sleep!) Post commander Keith Hughes says they are required to have two people on site at all times while open as a shelter, and they need help filling those slots. Ideally a volunteer could be there either 6 pm-midnight or midnight-6 am, but if you can only give a few hours, they’ll take the help they can get. If you have questions, or are ready to volunteer, call Post 160 any time between 8 am and 6 pm at 206-932-9696, or call Keith directly at 206-941-6654.

Donate funds? December 27, 2021 (11:16 am)

Is there a way to donate money online? I looked over the site but didn’t see a link. Thanks

WS Res December 27, 2021 (11:37 am)

I think the answer for everything is “call Keith.” He doesn’t really seem to be an email or online guy, though there may be a Google sheet somewhere with needs. But we connected with him via phone.