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After five years of serving showers, hot meals and a sense of community, the Jean Kim Foundation’s Hygiene Center will close its doors due to circumstances beyond its control, according to a news release.
The hygiene center at 19726 64th Ave. W. in Lynnwood will cease operations Friday, Dec. 12. There will be an event that day from noon to 2 p.m. that will involve a free raffle and thank you remarks to guests and community partners.
In the news release, foundation board member Ted Haase offered “deep gratitude for the generous commitment for our community partners and volunteers to provide human care and kindness through the Hygiene Center.”
The building the hygiene center sits on used to be an emissions testing facility. The foundation does not own it. Jeffrey Butler with Lynnwood Land LLC allowed the foundation to use the building rent free.
The news release states: “This was a gesture made in goodwill and with the intent to benefit the community.”
The foundation is seeking host sites and/or relocation options.
From April 2020 to September 2025, the hygiene center provided 51,543 showers to people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. The center has also offered space for local providers to meet with people who need help accessing social services.
Over the years, the hygiene center has partnered with organizations including MercyWatch, LEAD, Feed My Sheep Ministry (a collaboration between St. Thomas More Parish in Lynnwood and Holy Rosary Parish in Edmonds), Edmonds Food Bank, Annie’s Kitchen, Navi’s Catering and Millenia Ministries.
“Volunteers and service providers provide an essential connection and radical hospitality to Hygiene Center guests,” Executive Director Sandra Mears said in the news release.
The foundation is supported by donations from several community members, local organizations and grant funders. The Verdant Health Commission is its major grant funder.
The Late Rev. Dr. Jean Kim and her friends formed the foundation in October 2015. She used monetary gifts from her 80th birthday as seed money to start it. More information can be found at jeankimfoundation.org.
— By Angelica Relente
Angelica Relente is a Murrow News Fellow covering housing and related issues in South Snohomish County for the My Neighborhood News Network. Contact her at angelica@myedmondsnews.com.
Oh wow! I hope a replacement location can be found… The hygiene center is such an important hub for many community services.
This is such a valuable asset for the homeless. I pray that something else can be found.
This would be perfect over in Seattle.
There is one at The Compass Center at Alaskan way n Washington St
Will any of the services be picked up at the new Trinity facility?
I never knew it existed and im sad its going away. I truly hope something positive comes out of this. Obviously this has been an asset to many any times like this , people need reassurance and safety. ✌️✌️✌️
South SnoCo needs the hygiene center. A hard resource for the community to lose.
It’s a sad day. So many people who need just the basics in life, and yet, out of all the people who live in surrounding areas, in mansion houses, driving 60,000 dollar cars, can’t seem to part with a little bit of money to help those in need. This world has gone to hell in a hand basket.
So, Reporter, do we know what are the circumstances beyond the Hygiene Center’s control? Is Jeffrey Butler with Lynnwood Land LLC no longer allowing the foundation to use the building rent free? This seems an ideal location for this essential community service. If we knew more about the reason for it’s closure, maybe we could do something to save it.
We are going to be doing a follow up story on this issue so watch for that.
I do know where this was and it seems this is a Lynnwood idea and project. I know Rick Steves has something going maybe thru Verdant in Lynnwood. It’s in Lynnwood and that might be a good spot to try to relocate that facility. Just a thought.
There is empty property at w marine view drive and wall st just west of downtown Everett. Can that be used. I will volunteer on weekends.
We, my family and church have fed the people at the hygiene center for a few years. I only stopped because of health reasons. Those that are there have always been kind and appreciative. I pray another location opens to support them. This was also a resource I shared with those that were looking for a place to clean up.
I was there yesterday to drop off some more clothes. They said they will stop accepting donations on December 1 because they still do not know of a future location if any and didn’t have the ability to store too many things if no location was found. She also stated that there was a small chance, still unconfirmed, that they may be able to stay at the same location. Who knows?
There used to be large containers around grocery store parking lots etc. to drop off clothing donations. What happened to those Tom? Were they Salvation Army of something. I mean Goodwill charges for used clothing and so did Value Village and so does Habitat. It would be nice to have those big boxes back so people could drop off stuff they would prefer was given instead of resold. Last year and the beginning of this year I gave I bet 50 bags to Goodwill. Now I have some more to gather up and I think a good volunteer idea would be for orgs, churches, those who give don’t sell items to have people make arrangements to come to homes and pick up large bags of clothing or food etc. Some of us like me for instance can’t handle those heavy bags and or heavy food boxes anymore. We do put things in our driveway or on the corner sometimes and people scarf them up almost immediately but clothing and books and even food can’t take the elements.
I had no idea this had been converted into hygiene cente it sounds like a valuable and needed resource . Why is it being shut down ? How can we stop that from happening? Who do we contact ?
I support the Hygiene Center – Let’s all show up and let the city and community know how important this service is. As a former chair of the Cold Weather Shelter – I can attest to the importance of the Hygiene Center. Without it the Cold Weather Shelter would not have a place to send people that needed additional help during the day – our community has so many members that are stuggling with the limited infrastructure that we have – food banks, community meals, Saturday Neighbors in Need. The Jean Kim foundation stepped up and provided food, clothing, warmth, showers and a gathering space – all important elements that are needed right here in South Snohomish County.
This hygiene center has made the entire area around 64th unsafe, and it needs to be shut down for the safety of our community.
Putting it right next to a public park and so close to the new Boys & Girls Club, local daycares, and nearby schools was a completely irresponsible decision. Instead of providing support, it has attracted drug activity, loitering, broken-down vehicles, and ongoing disorder that has taken over a public space our tax dollars maintain. Trying to “save” or further fund this location without fixing the serious safety problems it has created is even more irresponsible it ignores the reality of what this site has become. The park and surrounding area should be safe, clean, and usable for the community, and right now it’s anything but.
For the safety and well-being of the surrounding residents, the facility should be closed and relocated to a properly managed location that does not create these