FOOD for those who are Hungry
HYGIENE for those who are Homeless
RECOVERY for those who are Addicted
There’s a street near my home lined with massive Flame Ash trees, planted 60 years ago. Last fall, during the bomb cyclone, 20 of them came crashing down.
The last six months have felt like a bomb cyclone for the nonprofit community—relentless winds of chaos and uncertainty.
This year, wave after wave of changes have frozen critical funding for homelessness programs, healthcare, food programs and international aid. Some are reversed, some are not, and the damage is done. Nonprofits are left in a cycle of unnecessary stress, anxiety and instability—all while trying to care for the most vulnerable people in our communities.
And then came a memo accusing nonprofits of undermining national security.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
We are the safety net. We are the light. We are the hope. Every day, we serve people in crisis—offering dignity, compassion and real solutions. But without stable funding, we risk losing the very programs that hold people—and entire communities—together.
This isn’t just about policy. It’s about people. And it’s why we need your help.
Your gift today helps provide essential life-saving services to the growing numbers of neighbors who are struggling to survive. Now, more than ever, your support is vital.
“For there is always light,If only we’re brave enough to see it,If only we’re brave enough to be it.” – Amanda Gorman
With light and hope,
Shawna McMahon
Executive Director
A Note from the Executive Director
The Healing Power of Community
People talk about community a lot – about the importance of Community. Connection. Belonging.
Here at ICS, Community is one of our core values and reflected in all our programs. We strive to build relationships and be a place where people can become connected and involved, working together to rekindle hope, maintain dignity and create a community of belonging. Hope. Dignity. Community.
Community comes to life in many ways around ICS:
- For the Hygiene Center guests who have no stable home, ICS is their community. By providing a safe and welcoming environment, they have a place where they feel like they belong. We meet them where they are and support them in whatever way feel they need and they support one another the way that families do.
- For the shelter residents struggling to overcome addiction to drugs & alcohol, the ICS Recovery Shelter provides a safe and sober community of people that support one another and holds one another accountable, while working on their recovery and building a new life for themselves.
- Through all of our amazing community of volunteers who collect, sort, pack & distribute food and support the SLU Food Bank at ICS, shoppers have access to healthy nutritious food to fill their pantries and feed their families.
- In partnership with a large community of neighbors, partners, groups of volunteers and local grocery stores, we work together to provide over 33,000 meals a year to our neighbors experiencing hunger and those needing a hot nutritious meal and friendly conversation.
We believe in this commitment to Community and work for it every day to help folks imagine a different life for themselves without hunger or homelessness.
But recently, when Dave became sick and unexpectedly passed away, we experienced Community in a whole new way.
The first few days when Dave was absent from the Hygiene Center, we were extremely short-handed and didn’t know how we were going to manage. We also couldn’t get the washing machine to work correctly. A Hygiene Center guest volunteered to sit in the laundry room to take care of all the laundry – for everyone. He ended up wringing all the laundry out— by hand, all day.
Another guest, who used to have the hardest time packing up and leaving on time when the Center closed, took it upon himself to become the timekeeper each day. He started waking people up, giving regular warnings and then helped guests pack up and leave on time.
When the shower clogged, causing water to spill all over, one of our long-time guests shooed the staff out of the bathroom. He unclogged the shower and then cleaned up all the water that had flooded the bathroom and gym floor.
A former resident of our Recovery Shelter volunteered to come every day to staff the front door, greet guests and walked around to make sure people signed in. Still other guests set up tables and the hand washing station for lunch and helped staff with whatever was needed. Current shelter residents mopped the floors and cleaned the bathroom every day.
This continued for over a month.
We work every day to create a safe welcoming community for the people we serve at ICS. A place where they are seen and known. A place where they feel welcome and safe while receiving the basic human services they need to survive. But at this challenging time filled with uncertainty and grief, the guests and residents stepped up for us and wrapped us in community. The entire ICS Hygiene Center & Recovery Shelter community came together and made sure that we could still operate, despite Dave’s absence. It was healing, beautiful, moving and is something that taught me even more about the healing power of Community. I will be forever grateful for this community.
Volunteer Help Needed!
- FOOD BANK & GROCERY RESCUE – We need your help with our Food Bank on Mondays and our drivers for Grocery Rescue during the weekend.
- HYGIENE CENTER VOLUNTEERS – TUESDAY COOKS NEEDED URGENTLY! Prepare and serve meals to guests in our Hygiene Center. Tues-Fri, 10A M-1:30 PM
- VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR – Looking for someone to schedule and support volunteers in the SLU Food Bank, Grocery Rescue, Home Deliveries and Meal Program. 1-3 hours/week. (CURRENTLY FILLED)
- COMMUNITY LUNCH – Looking for volunteers for the last Saturday & Sunday of the month to help prep food and serve.
Groups must be planned one month in advance.
Email volunteers@icsseattle.org for more information.
Did you know Washington state employees can give directly to ICS through the Washington Combined Fund Drive?
If you’re a WA state employee, click above for more info!
Assumed a little less,
Tried to feel what they feel?
What if we opened our hearts a little more
And asked ourselves, what if, what if this was me?
‘Cause they are just like you and me,
Trying to find a way to be in this world
And live in peace.
Is that a crime?”
Music & Lyrics by Naomi Wachira
ICS strives to create a Community of Hope and save lives by making sure people have the basics that every human being needs: a warm welcome, nutritious food, a place to take a shower & use a restroom…and a place to sleep.
Our programs are made possible by the generous support from our partners...
