WNN-Shelter new roof

Urgent: The Westside Neighbors Network Shelter needs a new roof—and you can help!

The Westside Neighbors Network Shelter, operated by Keith Hughes, is the only shelter of its kind in West Seattle. It is a privately owned and volunteer-operated shelter which serves unhoused adults with daily hot breakfast, shower and laundry facilities, and a place to stay warm and dry and get a hot meal when the outside temperatures in winter fall to dangerous levels. Hosted by the West Seattle Veterans Center, the Westside Neighbors Network shelter is open to any adult in need of shelter, regardless of age, race, gender, or veteran status.

The roof on the shelter’s 1930s-era building has needed some patching after every severe windstorm. But in January 2023, high winds tore off two huge pieces of the roof. Fortunately, the inside of the building was spared water damage; a volunteer was available to quickly patch over exposed nails and cracks between the shingles. Unfortunately, this temporary fix won’t last through another round of severe weather. If the building sustains more damage of this kind, the shelter may not be able to open again this winter.

The good news is that a roofing manufacturer has offered to donate all the materials needed for a new roof, and two local roofing companies have agreed to donate skilled labor to tear off the old roof and install the new one. However, the Shelter will still need to cover the loading, hauling, and dump fees to get rid of the old roofing (which is four layers deep), and purchase new roof sheathing to replace the existing sheathing, which has severely rotted from the roof leaking over the past two years.

Through this GoFundMe Campaign (WNN-Shelter needs new roof), I am hoping to raise $50,000 to complete this project so we can take advantage of the generous donations of roofing materials and labor, which are themselves worth about $75,000. Timing is crucial: the roofing materials are scheduled to be delivered on June 23, and the roofing teams are scheduled to start the work on June 23.

Your donation will help us keep the building safe and available to help our houseless neighbors, this winter and in the winters to come. Please consider making a donation today: any amount will get us closer to reaching our goal!