Salem Lutheran Church Remodel Expands Homeless Services for Welcome Home Skagit

Salem Lutheran Church in Mount Vernon has completed a remodel of its lower floor, enhancing its ability to support Welcome Home Skagit, a nonprofit offering services to people experiencing homelessness. The 1,450-square-foot renovation includes two restrooms, two showers, a laundry room with two washers and two dryers, a storeroom, and a multipurpose room. These improvements allow Welcome Home Skagit to provide more comprehensive care and resources to those in need.

The new facilities include a storeroom stocked with clothes and food, and designated days for guests to access clothing. The multipurpose room will be used for classes and meetings, expanding the nonprofit’s capacity to serve the community. The remodel also features new flooring, ceilings, and heating and cooling systems, addressing long-standing needs for comfort and functionality during extreme weather conditions.

Before the renovation, Welcome Home Skagit operated from just two rooms at the church, with visitors limited to portable toilets outside. The updated space now offers a more dignified and practical environment for individuals seeking assistance. Managing director Sarah Vogt described the improvements as “tremendously” beneficial, enabling the nonprofit to better meet the needs of its clients.

The remodel supports a wide range of services, including the Drop-In Resource and Referral Day Shelter, which saw 9,450 visits from 608 different people between June 2024 and June 2025—a 24% increase from the previous year. During that period, the shelter also served 16,568 meals. Welcome Home Skagit also provides overnight safe parking, offering a secure place for people sleeping in their vehicles.

The safe parking service will now have access to the remodeled facility, further integrating essential resources for those experiencing homelessness. The project, which cost $655,000, was funded through church reserves, fundraisers, and grants from the city of Mount Vernon, the Skagit Community Foundation, and Salem Village Retirement.

Salem Lutheran Church will host an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sunday, October 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., inviting the community to tour the new facility. The renovation reflects a commitment to caring for vulnerable neighbors, aligning with the biblical call to protect the poor and provide for those in need, as seen in Proverbs 31:8-9.

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