Visitors to Hope ‘N Wellness, a drop-in resource center close to Pacific and Rucker avenues that primarily serves homeless
individuals, take the opportunity to sit on couches and relax in warmth on a recent day. The city says its location is the
problem. It is in a downtown zone that, as currently written, prohibits social services on the first floor.
Photo courtesy Hope 'N Wellness
EVERETT — Located near Pacific and Rucker avenues, Hope ‘N Wellness has been a safe place where homeless individuals can come to rest, seek advice on resources, drink a cup of coffee and possibly get a new coat for the winter. Since 2020, this day center prides itself in being a no-judgement, zero barrier community where anyone can come in, no matter where they are at in life.
In January of this year, Hope ‘N Wellness had 596 people come in seeking support. However, despite the large numbers, the city of Everett is seeking to shut them down due to a code violation.
The city has given the center until Feb. 28 to close down social services here because of this violation.
Hope ‘N Wellness provides social services through giving food and clothing to the unhoused community, making the center specifically in violation of the Metro Everett subarea plan that was adopted in 2018. The goal of the plan was to create a more vibrant, appealing downtown, prohibiting social services from being provided on the first floor of a building within the subarea.
Glen Moretz, current Mukilteo resident and former mayor of Kirksville, Missouri has supported and helped Hope ‘N Wellness where he can.“The other part about being involved in city government is, ‘are we doing the best for all people concerned’, is how I would look at it,” Moretz said. “I’m just not real clear what material good this particular rule is doing.”
When she opened Hope ‘N Wellness, operator Jasmine Donahue was completely unaware of the code.
“My intention was simply just to do my part and I had this space available to me,” Donahue said. “I was here, it was COVID, so there were no other services. Folks still needed to use the restroom.”
The center is self-funded. They are not bound by the city’s oversight as they do not have any funding contracts with Everett. It wasn’t until two years ago that the city became aware of the work Hope ‘N Wellness was doing.
After having multiple talks with the city, and difficulty in finding another affordable location, staying downtown on Rucker Avenue does not seem to be an option. But a more important issue arises with the closure of the center: where are people going to go once it’s closed?
“Feb. 28 is the coldest time of the year,” Donahue said. “So the cruelty of that is really hard to navigate with people - if they’re not in here, they’re out there. There’s nowhere else to go.”
According to Donahue, more than 1,600 individuals sought support from Hope ‘N Wellness in 2024, and 78% were senior citizens.
The Human Rights to Housing Collective has been acting as a liaison between Hope ‘N Wellness and the American Civil Liberties Union, trying to support and uplift Hope ‘N Wellness through this process.
“It’s truly a community of people,” said Jade Weise, the legal advocacy director at the Housing Collective. “It’s not just, ‘here are your services, see you later’. They’re really building relationships with folks. It’s really a beautiful community.”
Supporters the Tribune spoke with said there is no denying the positive effect Hope ‘N Wellness has had within the community. According to Weise, social workers used to reach out to Hope ‘N Wellness for advice and guidance before the city warned the center was in violation of Metro Everett plan.
There are ideas circulating within the community as to how Hope ‘N Wellness can stay and continue their work. Some of these ideas would require compromise and leniency from the city of Everett, which at this point, does not seem to be a possibility.
“I think what would be the best option here — would be the city planning department actually working with Jasmine to basically remodel their front door,” Weise said. “Make the front door lead to the back alley sections of the building.” In other words, have the back door become the main entrance, the front door being remodeled to be more visually appealing to passersby.
City administration has made their position clear, and unwavering.
In a video posted Jan. 8, Mayor Cassie Franklin stated, “We remain committed to working with Hope ‘N Wellness while continuing our efforts to support those in need and realize our community’s vision for Everett’s vibrant downtown.”
Franklin also discussed the purposes of the Metro Everett zone in the video.
On its own, Hope ‘N Wellness established a satellite center on Rucker Avenue in central Everett by renting a space. It is a distance away from other downtown services.
Currently, the future of Hope ‘N Wellness downtown ends with a question mark. Come Feb. 28, individuals will need to find other places for food, clothing and resources. Ultimately, individuals who are struggling will need to find other places where they can get support and encouragement.
“For as long as I have breath in my lungs and feet to walk around with I will be connecting,” Donahue said. “They’ve already invested hope and trying when they felt hopeless and doing it anyway. Trusting us to walk that path with them. I don’t see not trying to do the best I can with honoring that.”
