est. 1997
Our Story
Gene and Monica Hoover
In 1997, seeing a need for a wintertime, Low Barrier Men's Shelter in the Olympia area, Gene Hoover, with the support and assistance of his wife Monica and many parishioners, opened a small, partial week, Wintertime Men's Shelter at Saint Michael Catholic Church in Olympia. This has grown over the years, extending to Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lacey. Both shelters are still in operation today caring for the poor and needy of our community.
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December 2019, based on Gene's model, another Low Barrier Men's Shelter was opened in the Wenatchee Valley area at Holy Apostles Catholic Church. It shelters an average of 16 men a night through the snowy, winter months. Finally, in 2022 the winter shelter expanded into a year round facility, The Saint Francis House.
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It is God's blessing, working through Gene's caring philosophy of "Love in Action ... All springs from Love and Returns to Love," that sustains these shelters, nourishing them to be successful - along with wonderful staff and volunteers! We are especially grateful to Gene and Monica for stepping out and helping the forgotten homeless in our cities.
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"EVERYTHING SPRINGS FROM LOVE AND RETURNS TO LOVE"
Our Founder
Kim Bosler
Homegrown in Yakima, Washington, raised in humble beginnings with 2 sisters and 28 foster sisters, Kim Bosler has always had a heart for helping and giving to others in need.
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Kim was eight years old when his father left Yakima, leaving the family behind. To support the family as a single mother, Kim’s mom did what she had to do to make ends meet, carrying the weight of several job at a time. As a nurse, a florist, and a foster mom, she also found time to bring life to her household, by catering a lobster dinner every Saturday evening, which included a night of dancing and music, with Kim on the drums and his mom on the piano.
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At the age of sixteen Kim began cleaning swimming pools and managing apartments, and with much hard work, he purchased his first mobile home. Eventually his journey led him to Olympia, Washington, to build a mobile home park of his own. Too poor to rent any equipment, he began with only a hand shovel, while working swing shift at Simpson Lumber to fund his project.
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Honesty, fairness, being kind, and helping those in need are principles by which Kim strives to live his life. “If you have the means to help someone out who is in need," he says, "you should do it.” It is because of Kim's big and king heart that The People’s Foundation was established.