We’re proud to support Operation Nightwatch in their work to bring relief to Seattle’s homeless with food, assistance finding shelter, and support moving toward housing, treatment, employment or moving back with friends or family. Over 16,000 people are unhoused in King County each night and there are not enough emergency shelter beds for all who need them.

• Every night, volunteers prepare and serve a hot meal to 150 homeless guests starting at 9:00 pm after other programs have closed.
• The street outreach ministry connects with and provides basic supplies to unhoused people. When they’re able to help someone move into housing, they continue to offer support to ensure a successful transition. They help people replace ID, reconnect with family, seek treatment and secure jobs.
• They underwrite small furnished rooms with community kitchens for 24 low-income seniors, most of whom were homeless or close to it.
• They launched a women’s shelter this year and are now working to double capacity.

This work would not be possible without volunteer power.

“Volunteers keep us on track, deliver the food, make up the menu and fix the meals. Volunteers visit the seniors, go out on the street, hand out the sandwiches, and listen to the stories. Volunteers collect the socks, and other volunteers hand them out. Operation Nightwatch is an amazing kaleidoscope of volunteers working to make life better for homeless people and senior residents. Volunteering at Nightwatch will change you in ways you cannot imagine.”

~ Operation Nightwatch

University Kiwanis member Reverend Rick Reynolds was an active part of Operation Nightwatch for over 40 years, starting as an outreach volunteer in 1981 and later serving as the second Executive Director in the organization’s history before his retirement in 2022. Learn how you can support this important work at https://www.seattlenightwatch.org/

In September, our Board gathered for its annual retreat. The purpose of this meeting is to create space outside of regular monthly meetings to look ahead to the coming fiscal year – revisiting our mission statement to ensure it continues to accurately reflect our intentions, reviewing our accomplishments and opportunities for improvement and aligning on a plan to continue providing financial support to various non-profit organizations in the coming year. Lunch after was open to the general membership. We’re grateful to be part of a team which is caring, constructive and committed to making a positive impact in our community and world. Thank you Kim for hosting this event!