The Westside Neighbors Shelter, the only overnight cold‑weather shelter serving West Seattle, is warning that it may be forced to halt overnight operations at the end of the year after a steep drop in donations left the volunteer‑run program unable to cover basic costs.

King5News.com reports that the shelter, located inside the American Legion Hall on SW Alaska Street, provides breakfast and dinner to roughly 80 people every day and offers 36 overnight beds during the winter months. It has operated for six years under the leadership of longtime volunteer and U.S. Army veteran Keith Hughes, who says the financial situation has become unsustainable.

According to Hughes, donations have fallen by 40%, leaving the shelter without enough funding to continue staffing and operating the overnight program into January. The shelter’s board confirmed that overnight services will be paused starting December 31, citing the need to preserve resources for long‑term sustainability.

The shelter’s daytime meal services will continue uninterrupted.

A Critical Lifeline for West Seattle

The Westside Neighbors Shelter is the only emergency overnight option in the West Seattle peninsula during the winter months. Its closure would leave dozens of people without a safe place to sleep during the coldest part of the year.

The shelter’s monthly operating costs total roughly $26,000, driven largely by insurance‑required overnight staffing ratios — one watchperson for every 24 guests — as well as utilities and food expenses.

Community‑Run, Community‑Funded

Unlike many shelters in King County, Westside Neighbors receives no government funding. It is entirely supported by private donations and volunteer labor. The organization emphasized that the pause in overnight services is temporary but necessary unless emergency funding arrives.

“The board’s responsibility is to ensure the long‑term sustainability of the organization,” the shelter said in a public statement announcing the pause.

What Happens Next

The overnight program was scheduled to run through the end of February, as it does each winter. Without new funding, the shelter will continue offering meals but will not be able to provide beds, leaving 36 people to seek alternatives.

Local advocates warn that West Seattle lacks any comparable facility, meaning many will be forced to travel off‑peninsula — a challenge for people without transportation.

Hughes told King 5 News he hopes the community will step in to help keep the doors open through the winter season.

Their statement follows:

We will be temporarily pausing some of our overnight shelter services, effective December 31, 2025, due to funding constraints. This decision reflects the Board’s responsibility to ensure the long-term sustainability of the organization.

The overnight shelter opened for the cold weather season in November, and is scheduled to run through the end of February. The shelter can accommodate 36 people per night on cots in the main hall. WSNS has partnered with community organizations, volunteers, churches, and donors to respond to the urgent needs of people experiencing homelessness. However, the cost of staffing nightly overnight shelter services outside of King County’s designated Severe Weather periods has exceeded available funding. Continuing regular overnight operations for the next two months without sustainable funding would place the entire organization at risk.

Shelter owner Keith Hughes notes that the raw operating expenses for January and February 2026 will be $26,000 per month. The shelter needs to raise roughly $50,000 by the end of 2025 in order to continue regular overnight services for those two months.

WSNS will continue to provide morning warm-up services daily from 7 to 11 am. It will remain open during Severe Weather events, with those operations funded through the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA). Severe Weather shelter will be activated in accordance with KCRHA-defined weather thresholds and will operate for the duration of those events.

Community support has always been essential to WSNS’s mission. Donations made during this pause will sustain morning warm-up services, support cold weather overnight shelter operations, and build reserves needed to restart regular overnight shelter services through February 2026.

“This is not the end of overnight shelter at WNS. It’s a strategic pause,” says Keith Hughes. “With continued community support, we can reopen regular overnight cold-weather shelter services when the funding is in place.”

WSNS extends deep gratitude to the volunteers, donors, staff, partners, and neighbors who have supported this work. We value all our neighbors, including those experiencing homelessness and drug addiction. We are committed to providing a safe space for our unhoused neighbors with dignity and respect. We look forward to continuing to serve the community during Severe Weather events and to returning with regular overnight shelter services as soon as sustainable funding allows.

You can help fund the remaining two months of the cold-weather shelter by clicking the “Donate” button at the top of the page. Thank you!