Supporting the Winter Hospitality Overflow Program at Saint Andrews

The KMR Group Foundation has a long history of providing hygiene packs to community organizations throughout the year. Here’s how one winter delivery helped Saint Andrews Lutheran Church‘s Winter Hospitality Overflow (WHO) program in Orchards, Washington. These packs included emergency blankets, coloring sheets with markers, socks and winter accessories for both children and adults.

A Decade of Dedication

Jane Seidel, a longtime member of Saint Andrews who has served as the WHO coordinator for the past decade, shared how these donations have made an unexpected and far-reaching impact in the community.

“Working with the KMR Foundation Group has just been wonderful for us,” Seidel said. “It’s been uplifting, it’s enabled us to connect with more people in the community, and it’s definitely helped people at where they are.”

Years of Community Shelter

The WHO program at Saint Andrews provides overnight shelter for families, single parents with children, and single women during the coldest months of the year, from November through March. This year marks their 22nd season of operation, providing not just shelter but also case management services through their partnership with Share and the Council for the Homeless.

Deepening Community Reach

The essential-pack drive did more than stock shelves—it widened Saint Andrews’ circle of care. When coordinator Jane Seidel alerted local school resource teams, her phone lit up. “Families call them first when grocery money runs out or toiletries run low,” she said. That single call pushed support beyond elementary grades and into the next school level, allowing the church to stay with the same kids—and their families—as they grow.

The momentum didn’t stop there. Connections are now forming with outreach workers who serve people living in encampments, putting hygiene kits directly into the hands of neighbors who rarely cross a church threshold. “KMR’s donation expanded its own impact and our understanding of what’s really happening out there,” Seidel explained.

Making a Difference Where It Matters

The WHO program currently shelters between 45-50 guests each night, including 25 children this season. Through partnerships with various organizations, they work to transition guests into more permanent housing solutions, celebrating successes like a family of seven who are about to move into their own apartment.

These essential packs are making a difference where it matters most – meeting immediate needs while helping build stronger community connections.