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| Rick Steves, left, and Jean Kim Foundation Executive Director Sandra Mears on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, at the hygiene center in Lynnwood. Photos by Angelica Relente in My Edmonds News |
By Rick Steves
It’s the “season of love and giving”…but this year, doesn’t it seem more like a “season of fear and taking”? Like many of you, I’ve been saddened by the human impact of draconian government budget cuts and how angry many housed Americans are at unhoused Americans.
Then, about a month ago, I learned that the only hygiene center in my neighborhood was being shut down. The property was being sold...destined to be developed.
For an entire community of my down-and-out neighbors, this hygiene center is the only place to take a shower, wash clothes, repair a bike, or get a sweater, blanket, or hot meal…while also enjoying a little bit of community. And tragically, once a center like this is gone, it’s hard to imagine it popping up somewhere else in these NIMBY times.
It's an invisible need… an invisible center… helping invisible people. Meanwhile, I’m haunted by the invisible impact of the insatiable greed that’s so widespread (and sadly, celebrated) in our multi-millionaire and billionaire class.
So, I purchased the center and the land it sits on — the best $2 million I can imagine spending.
And now, I get to partner with the wonderful network of volunteers and caring people who run the Lynnwood Hygiene Center. Together, we’ll amp up the care-giving and bring hope to the hopeless, better than ever. And the community of my neighbors who are cold, wet, hungry, and overwhelmed…are now happy that their humble little refuge — where love gets traction, and prayers are answered — will stay in business.
This is my Christmas gift to my homeless neighbors, to the volunteers who get great joy from helping them…and, yes, to myself. Merry Christmas to all!
BTW, our local online newspaper was a critical player in all of this. Without it, I wouldn’t have even known what was happening, and today the Lynnwood Hygiene Center would be gone. And our community also wouldn’t have known about its plight.
And now, I get to partner with the wonderful network of volunteers and caring people who run the Lynnwood Hygiene Center. Together, we’ll amp up the care-giving and bring hope to the hopeless, better than ever. And the community of my neighbors who are cold, wet, hungry, and overwhelmed…are now happy that their humble little refuge — where love gets traction, and prayers are answered — will stay in business.
This is my Christmas gift to my homeless neighbors, to the volunteers who get great joy from helping them…and, yes, to myself. Merry Christmas to all!
BTW, our local online newspaper was a critical player in all of this. Without it, I wouldn’t have even known what was happening, and today the Lynnwood Hygiene Center would be gone. And our community also wouldn’t have known about its plight.
But thanks to local, independent journalism, I learned about this opportunity to help, and our community has donated $400,000 in an effort to save the center. (Those funds will now be used to develop it through capital improvements.) Thank you to these donors — and to My Edmonds News!
Thank you for helping to save it, and for sharing the story! Happy Holidays!
ReplyDeleteAMAZING!! Much gratitude towards MyEdmondsNews (and all independent news outlets) and Rick Steves for your care for our community.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rick! And also thanks to Angelica Relente, the Murrow News Fellow who first reported about the hygiene center. Angelica's reporting was supported by the non-profit myedmondsnews.com and the state-funded WSU journalism fellowship program.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! I’m so glad you had the funds - and the heart - to do this! What a great gesture!
ReplyDeleteMr Steves twice makes reference to his homeless neighbors, as if he lives in close proximity to the center and gets to experience its clientele 24/7. I’m pretty sure that (when he’s not in Europe) that’s not the case.
ReplyDeleteIsn't he a terrific example of a public citizen and a wealthy person who uses their $ for the greater good? I can think of several people who should get a clue - thank you Rick Steves!
ReplyDeleteI can't think of anything that has happened this year that has brought me so much joy as first finding out about the Hygiene Center and then learning that it has been saved. Thank you Rick and all the wonderful volunteers.
ReplyDeleteA most awesome donation to help those in need...
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