Washington Community Hygiene Center was about to close leaving hundreds helpless — a TV host stepped in to turn things around

The Lynnwood Hygiene Center in South Snohomish County had been providing for hundreds of homeless and helpless people in Edmond, Washington, according to The Washington Post on December 24. TV host and travel writer, Rick Steves, shared in a now-deleted post on Facebook that the property was unfortunately being sold to be developed, putting all these innocent lives at risk. Situated just two blocks away from his church, he had never noticed it before, but when he heard of the upsetting news on his local channel, he knew he had to do something to turn things around. In the season of giving, he gave unforgettable hope to several unhoused individuals by getting the property back for them.

“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,” the host noted in his posts on Bluesky. He spoke to the people in charge, including the Jean Kim Foundation, which ran the center there. The place had offered around 700 showers in a year, along with mobile medical clinics and other provisions. To these people, it was hope in disguise, and it was going to be stolen from them — but Steves wasn’t having it.

In the meantime, Sandra Mears, executive director of the center, was doing everything in her power to help the people out. She had contacted donors, locals, motels, and others to see if they could pitch in to continue providing, but in vain. Then, she received an email from Steves which included an offer to buy the property for the center to continue its goodness. “I really take ‘Love your neighbor’ seriously,” Steves said, and he purchased the property for $2.25 million. “The best $2 million I can imagine spending,” he wrote. For Mears, this was no less than a miracle.

“We never thought about buying [the land] — that was not even feasible,” she said. But Steves stepped in and instantly turned everything around. “Big changes can happen quickly when you decide to act. This [center] was going to shut down. It would have been vacated right now. It would have been empty this Christmas,” Steves mentioned. But his one gesture of kindness became the reason for hope for hundreds. And this act snowballed into a heap of goodness. An anonymous donor’s $250,000 went into expansion and renovation for the center. With more showers, laundry rooms, and added facilities, the space is set to become an answered prayer to many. "For my self-worth, it's so important. When I come in here, I feel better about myself," one of the people said, per KOMO News.

According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the number of homeless people has been seriously rising. Statistics showed that there was a jump of 18% of homeless people in the span of a year. From 653,104 people in 2023, the number rose to 771,480 people in 2024. Housing has become a luxury for a variety of reasons, affordability being the main one, and costs are rising higher than ever, making a basic necessity impossible to acquire for more and more people. Even housing systems are unable to cope with the rising number of unhoused individuals, and centers like these are what become a saving grace. Thanks to Steves, it continues to exist and thrive. 

The host spent the next few weeks helping and volunteering, getting to know his neighbors, and adding to his bit of selflessness. To the rest of the world, he shared a significant message to light up hope brighter. “Love thy neighbor has nothing to do with proximity. That’s a lesson I’ve learned as a traveler,” he remarked. Brandi Dilling Thompson wrote, “Rick, you are a treasure of a human being. We have valued your travel guides for many years, but your kind heart makes me even more proud to be a long-time fan.” Marcy Singer noted, “Thank you for being so thoughtful and setting an example that billionaires could follow without even making a dent in their bank accounts.” 

More on Scoop Upworthy

Homeless man breaks down after finding out strangers raised $15,000 for him to get a house

Millionaire opens the doors of his $4M mansion to homeless couple living across the street

A homeless man rushed into a burning animal shelter. He saved every single pet.