Gospel Mission has been an Everett safety net for 50 years
By Katya Yefimova, Herald Writer
EVERETT -- In the early days, they were known as "men of the road."
They came to Everett on the railroad, looking for work. They had no family, no money and no home. But these homeless men knew they could count on a warm meal and fellowship at the Everett Gospel Mission.
Now one of the largest faith-based organizations in Western Washington, the mission marks its 50th birthday this week.
The mission, a 501(c)3 charity, provides services to homeless men, women and children, as a place to spend the night and with long-term recovery programs and transitional housing.
It began modestly.
Around 1961, Ed Boersema and George Bekker rented a small tea shop in north Everett to serve pastries and coffee and spread the word of God.
Boersema has passed away, but Bekker, 88, lives in Everett with his wife, Jane.
The two men had been visiting prisoners in jail, and wanted to do something for the people who had nowhere to turn, Bekker said.
"They really were hungry for something better," he said, speaking from his Everett home.
Not long after the mission started, more men were coming than the little tea shop could hold.
Bekker and Boersema moved into a bigger space in the adjacent building, which is now home to the Judd & Black appliance store.
Eventually many more people got involved, though Bekker doesn't remember many names. His memory took a hit after an injury a few years ago.
People running the mission set up Bible camps for children in the area and in 1967 formed the Everett Gospel Mission Auxiliary. Bekker and his wife continue to help with the Auxiliary. The shelter for women and children was started in the 1980s, according to mission records.
Newspaper articles from the time provide a glimpse into what it was like. The homeless came when the doors opened in the afternoon to take a shower and get a fresh change of clothes. There was a religious service in the evening, followed by a meal of soup, sandwiches and coffee. Smells from the kitchen often distracted the men during the service.
George Bekker grew up in the Riverside neighborhood, close to the railroad, and learned about the men of the road early on. The homeless then, would knock on your door and ask for a sandwich.
Bekker watched his father, a hard-working immigrant from Holland, bring food to neighbors, even those who weren't on good terms with the family.
"I learned early on that if you treat people fairly and kindly, they respond to that," he said.
That remains the code of conduct at the Everett Gospel Mission today. About 140 come to the men's shelter at 3711 Smith Ave. every night for free meals and a bed, said John Hull, the mission's director of the development. Homeless men looking for shelter have few options in the area.
The beds are $5 a night. Those who can't pay are asked to help out at the shelter. People can stay 90 days within a one-year period. Those who are enrolled in the mission's recovery programs can stay at the shelter longer.
"The closest analogy I can think of is a fraternity," Hull said.
On a recent Saturday afternoon, about 50 men were eating a dinner of spaghetti and salad and watching TV. A few hours later, the dining room became sleeping quarters for several dozen men. There aren't enough beds upstairs to accommodate everyone, Hull explained.
Others were reading or resting in dormitory-style rooms upstairs. In the basement, washing machines were running. Rock music was blasting in the room where donated items waited to be sorted by volunteers.
About 75 women and children stay every night in the women's and children's shelter in the Lowell neighborhood. The shelter, consisting of four smaller buildings, feels more like a home, with tempting smells of baked goods and children's voices in the air.
More than 90 percent of the mission's funding comes from the community, Hull said. He estimated that, in its 50 years, the mission has served more than 5 million meals to thousands of people.