Everett Gospel Mission and Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, Washington partner to ensure men staying at the shelter receive quality health care as they heal from wounds or illness. Many men in this shelter are experiencing homelessness, chronic health conditions and are battling substance use. The Everett Gospel Mission provides the space, meals, clothing and hygiene needs as well as the transitional program, Passport, that the men can join for sustainable stability.
Providence helps fund the program with community investment grants and provides staff to support people in the center’s care. The care includes administering IV antibiotics, changing dressings and monitoring other needs. The care also includes visits to the mission from nurses and other staff with Providence Hospice and Home Care of Snohomish Country with an overseeing nurse practitioner from Providence Medical Group.
Tyler Wheaton, a local man struggling with substance abuse and homelessness, was robbed, beaten and left with wounds that weren’t healing. He was welcomed into the respite center to recover and spent about a month in the care room before joining the Passport program and helping run the mission at the front desk.
“It’s so much more than respite care,” he said. “We get the tools we need to change.”
Providence caregivers continue to touch the lives of populations that they usually don’t get to serve and fulfilling Providence’s Mission of serving the poor and vulnerable.
Read more about Wheaton and the work being done to address this issue in The Everett Herald.
