Q: Where is Everett Community College?
A: Everett Community College’s main campus is at 2000 Tower Street in Everett, Washington, on a 46-acre site in the Northwest Everett neighborhood near Legion Memorial Golf Course. EvCC serves more than 19,000 students a year across Snohomish County and offers degrees and certificates in 39 fields, including nursing, advanced manufacturing, and university transfer programs.

Everett Community College: The Snohomish County Campus That Actually Punches Above Its Weight

If you grew up in Everett, you probably have a cousin, a coworker, or a neighbor who went to EvCC. That’s not an accident. Everett Community College has been part of the city’s educational backbone since 1941 — back when it was Everett Junior College and opened that September with 128 students in a converted elementary school.

Today it sits on 46 acres at 2000 Tower Street in Northwest Everett, just up the hill from Legion Memorial Park and a short walk from Grand Avenue Park. The college serves more than 19,000 students every year across multiple sites throughout Snohomish County, with most students and faculty based at the Tower Street main campus.

For families choosing a path after high school, workers retraining for new careers, and adults finishing a degree they started years ago, EvCC is often the most cost-effective, geographically convenient, and academically flexible option in the region. This is the local’s guide to what’s actually going on there.

A Short History — How EvCC Became EvCC

The school opened as Everett Junior College in September 1941, with 128 students in a repurposed elementary school building. That’s the founding story every long-time Everett resident has heard a version of.

The main campus moved to its current Tower Street location in 1958 — the site everyone thinks of today when they picture “EvCC.” In 1967, the name officially changed to Everett Community College to conform with the Washington State Community College Act that restructured the state’s two-year system.

Since then the school has grown steadily. The student age range today is wide — from 12-year-olds in Running Start and early enrollment programs to adults in their 80s, with the biggest single block of students falling between 18 and 21.

What EvCC Actually Offers

EvCC is a comprehensive community college. That means degrees, certificates, basic education, workforce training, high school completion, and ESL all under one roof.

Students can earn degrees and certificates in 39 different fields. The college offers associate’s degrees in Arts and Sciences, Science, Business, Applied Science, Technical Arts, Fine Arts, and General Studies, with certificates of completion in more than 30 technical and career fields. There are English as a Second Language programs, high school completion pathways, and General Education Development (GED) preparation.

The biggest programs by enrollment are Liberal Arts and Sciences / Liberal Studies, Registered Nursing, and Business. But the niche programs are often what draw students from outside Snohomish County — photography, welding, composites, and fire science are all strong.

The Nursing Program and the BSN Path

Nursing is one of the programs EvCC is best known for regionally, and for good reason. The college offers multiple pathways for students who want to become registered nurses.

The Associate in Applied Science – Transfer (AAS-T) degree in Nursing — often called the ADN — is a six-quarter nursing program that prepares students to sit for the NCLEX-RN licensure exam. Seats are competitive, and the program only admits a limited cohort each cycle.

For students who want a bachelor’s degree before taking NCLEX, EvCC offers a Pre-Nursing Transfer degree that provides the prerequisite coursework for transferring to a four-year BSN program elsewhere. There’s also a First Year Entry partnership with University of Washington Bothell for students who want a direct-admit path from the start.

The Nursing program sits in Liberty Hall on campus, alongside EvCC’s medical assisting, phlebotomy, and other health sciences training, plus criminal justice, fire science, and EMT programs.

AMTEC: Everett’s Advanced Manufacturing Workforce, Built on Tower Street

If you live in Everett and you hear someone talking about “the AMTEC building,” they mean this: the Advanced Manufacturing Training & Education Center, which opened in 2014 as the first EvCC building on the east side of Broadway.

AMTEC expanded in 2015, adding 17,000 square feet to bring the center to 54,000 square feet total. It educates students in six programs — mechatronics, precision machining, welding and fabrication, engineering technician, composites, and pre-employment. The teaching model is interdisciplinary: students build unmanned aerial vehicles, rockets, robots, and paddle boards as they learn the manufacturing process end to end.

That pipeline feeds directly into Snohomish County’s aerospace and advanced-manufacturing employers — which is exactly why Boeing, the IAM 751 Machinists Institute across the street, and dozens of regional aerospace suppliers pay attention to AMTEC.

Gray Wolf Hall and the Campus Today

EvCC’s Gray Wolf Hall opened in 2009 as a 77,000-square-foot building housing the humanities, social sciences, and communications programs. It’s one of the more distinctive buildings on the Tower Street campus and anchors the academic core.

Other notable campus buildings include:

• Liberty Hall — nursing, medical assisting, phlebotomy, criminal justice, fire science, and EMT programs
• AMTEC — the six advanced manufacturing programs listed above
• The Library / Learning Resource Center — with tutoring and academic support services
• The Corporate & Continuing Education Center — non-credit professional training

The campus is walkable end-to-end in about 10 minutes.

Trojan Athletics

EvCC’s mascot, the Trojan, was selected by students in 1941 — the year the college opened. Today the athletics department fields 11 athletic teams: baseball, softball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, cross country, track and field, and volleyball.

Trojan sports are NWAC (Northwest Athletic Conference) affiliated, and games are affordable, local, and genuinely competitive. If you’re looking for a community college sports experience without driving to Seattle or Bellingham, EvCC is it.

The University Center of North Puget Sound

Here’s the part a lot of Everett residents don’t know about: you can earn a bachelor’s or even a graduate degree without leaving the EvCC campus, through the University Center of North Puget Sound.

The University Center brings multiple four-year and graduate institutions to the EvCC campus. The major disciplines available include Nursing, Business, Education, Environmental Science, Engineering, Social Science, and Human and Counseling Services.

Here’s the striking stat: nearly 45% of University Center students had earned credits or a degree from Everett Community College before enrolling with a partner university. That’s how the pipeline is meant to work, and locally, it’s how it actually works.

Why EvCC Matters for Everett

You don’t have to be a student for EvCC to shape your life in Everett. The nursing program feeds Providence Regional Medical Center Everett and every other regional hospital. AMTEC feeds Boeing, the aerospace supply chain, and the fabrication shops that serve the Port of Everett’s marine economy. The University Center feeds teaching jobs at Everett Public Schools and engineering roles throughout the county.

A meaningful share of the city’s licensed professionals, small business owners, and public employees either started at EvCC or completed something there on the way to where they are now. That’s what a working community college is supposed to do, and EvCC, 85 years in, still does it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Everett Community College?
The main campus is at 2000 Tower Street, Everett, WA, on 46 acres near Legion Memorial Golf Course in the Northwest Everett neighborhood.

When was EvCC founded?
The college opened as Everett Junior College in September 1941 with 128 students. The main campus moved to Tower Street in 1958, and the name changed to Everett Community College in 1967.

How many students go to EvCC?
EvCC serves more than 19,000 students each year across locations throughout Snohomish County, with the largest concentration at the Tower Street main campus.

What programs is EvCC best known for?
Nursing, advanced manufacturing (AMTEC), business, photography, fire science, and university transfer programs. The college offers degrees and certificates in 39 fields.

Can I get a bachelor’s degree at EvCC?
Through the University Center of North Puget Sound, you can earn bachelor’s and graduate degrees on the EvCC campus through partner universities. Major disciplines include Nursing, Business, Education, Environmental Science, Engineering, Social Science, and Human and Counseling Services.

What is AMTEC at EvCC?
The Advanced Manufacturing Training & Education Center, which opened in 2014 and expanded in 2015 to 54,000 square feet. It runs six programs: mechatronics, precision machining, welding and fabrication, engineering technician, composites, and pre-employment.

What is EvCC’s mascot?
The Trojan, selected by students in 1941. The athletic department fields 11 teams across baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, cross country, track and field, and volleyball.

Does EvCC offer nursing?
Yes. Options include the six-quarter Associate in Applied Science – Transfer (ADN), a Pre-Nursing Transfer degree for students aiming at a BSN elsewhere, and a First Year Entry partnership with University of Washington Bothell.

Deeper Coverage in the Exploring Everett Series

For a more comprehensive treatment of the issues raised in this article, see:

• Living in Northwest Everett: The Complete 2026 Neighborhood Guide
• The EvCC Student’s Guide to Northwest Everett

Q: Where is the Northwest Everett neighborhood?
A: Northwest Everett is the neighborhood north of 19th Street and west of Broadway Avenue, wrapping the bluff above Port Gardner. It holds most of Everett’s oldest standing homes, Grand Avenue Park, American Legion Memorial Park, and the Everett Community College campus.

Living in Northwest Everett: The Historic Heart Above Port Gardner

Northwest Everett is the part of the city where you can stand on a sidewalk built before World War I, look out at Port Gardner Bay, and count four different architectural eras on a single block. It is Everett’s historic core — the neighborhood where the city’s founders built their mansions, where their mill workers built their bungalows, and where, more than a century later, people still live in both.

The official boundaries are simple: north of 19th Street, west of Broadway Avenue. Everything from that line out to the bluff above the waterfront is Northwest Everett, sweeping up through the Rucker Hill Historic District, past Grand Avenue Park, across the Everett Community College campus, and all the way to the city’s northern edge near the Snohomish River.

If you have been reading this desk’s Riverside, Delta, and Boulevard Bluffs guides, you already know how much each Everett neighborhood changes in a few blocks. Northwest Everett does it faster than any of them.

How Northwest Everett Got Built — In Three Booms

According to Historic Everett’s walking-tour materials, the homes on the bluff were built across three distinct waves.

The first was the Rockefeller Boom of 1891–1899, when John D. Rockefeller’s money and a cohort of New York investors — Charles Colby and Colgate Hoyt among them — poured capital into the new mill town. Their names still live on the street grid: Rockefeller Avenue, Colby Avenue, Hoyt Avenue, Oakes Avenue. The first generation of mansions went up during this period, and many of them still stand.

The second wave was the Hill Revival period, 1900–1915, after Great Northern Railway baron James J. Hill took over from Rockefeller as the city’s chief financier. This is when Rucker Hill filled in — with American Foursquare homes, California Bungalows, and the occasional Tudoresque showpiece. The Clough Mansion at 1010 Hoyt Avenue was finished in 1922, at the tail end of this era.

The third wave was the twenties boom, 1916–1929, which added craftsman bungalows, early apartment blocks, and civic buildings like the old Everett General Hospital at 13th and Colby, built in 1924. Then the Depression hit, and Northwest Everett stopped growing for a generation.

That’s why the neighborhood feels the way it does. The bones were already set by 1930.

Rucker Hill, the Hartley Mansion, and the National Register

Rucker Hill is the crown of Northwest Everett. It’s named for the Rucker brothers — founding investors in early Everett who, along with J.J. Hill, bought out Rockefeller’s interests and started the Everett Improvement Company.

The Roland Hartley Mansion at 2320 Rucker Avenue is the district’s anchor. Built between 1910 and 1911, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 in recognition of both its architectural significance and its connection to Roland Hill Hartley — lumber baron, Everett mayor (1910–1911), state legislator, and two-term governor of Washington (1925–1933).

Historic Everett runs occasional walking tours of Rucker Hill led by historian Jack O’Donnell. If you want the stories behind the houses without knocking on anyone’s door, that tour is the right answer. (Please do not knock on anyone’s door. These are private homes.)

The Streets You Actually Walk

The easiest way to understand Northwest Everett is to walk the north-south streets in order from east to west.

Broadway Avenue is the eastern boundary and also the commercial spine — EvCC students, commuters, and a steady flow of north Everett traffic. Wetmore, Rockefeller, and Oakes are the blocks where the old civic buildings live, including the original Washington School built in 1908, designed by architect James Stephen and constructed by George MacKenzie for $55,000. It sits in the block bounded by Rockefeller, Oakes, 17th, and 18th Streets.

Colby Avenue is the one most people know, because Colby runs straight through the historic medical core — the old Everett General Hospital at 13th and Colby, the Dr. Frank Paddock house at 1228 Colby (1908) now anchoring the small Drew Nielson Neighborhood Park, and the Butterworth House at 1305 10th Street (1920) a block off. Colby is also how you get to Grand Avenue Park.

Hoyt Avenue is where the Clough Mansion sits at 1010, alongside the Charles Bell House at 1316 Hoyt, built around 1903.

Rucker Avenue is the western spine and takes you past the Hartley Mansion up to American Legion Memorial Park and Golf Course at 2nd and Alverson — the northern tip of the peninsula.

Grand Avenue runs along the western bluff. Grand Avenue Park is the view everyone ends up photographing first, because it looks out at Port Gardner, Jetty Island, Hat Island, and on a clear day the Olympics.

Everett Community College Anchors the Campus End

The north end of Northwest Everett is dominated by Everett Community College’s main campus at 2000 Tower Street, which sits on 46 acres near the Legion Memorial Golf Course. EvCC moved to this site in 1958, and the college is one of the largest daily drivers of foot traffic in the neighborhood — nursing students, welding students, running-start high-schoolers, and University Center of North Puget Sound transfer students all coming and going.

We’re publishing a separate full EvCC guide tonight, so this is just the quick version: if you live in Northwest Everett, campus is a short walk, and the AMTEC building on Tower Street next to the main campus is where Everett’s advanced-manufacturing workforce gets built.

Parks, Trees, and the Quiet That Comes With Them

Northwest Everett has three of the city’s most important parks within its boundaries:

• Grand Avenue Park, the bluff viewpoint above Port Gardner — sunset central.
• American Legion Memorial Park and Golf Course, a 40-acre park with a public 9-hole course at 2nd and Alverson, on the peninsula’s northern tip.
• Drew Nielson Neighborhood Park at 1228 Colby, small but meaningful because it’s threaded through a historic block.

The tree canopy here is real. If you drive in from the flat parts of Everett, you notice the shade first — mature maples, elms, and oaks planted a century ago that finally grew into the streets they were meant to.

Who Lives Here Now

Northwest Everett today is a mix. There are long-time owners who inherited or bought into these homes decades ago and quietly kept them going. There are renters filling the carriage houses and the early-20th-century apartment walk-ups that were built in the twenties boom. There are EvCC students two blocks from class. And there are newer buyers — typically people who wanted something older than what Silver Lake or View Ridge-Madison offered and were willing to take on the maintenance.

The musician Carol Kaye, one of the most recorded bass players in music history (born 1935), has Northwest Everett ties through the early part of her family’s story — a small detail but one of several reminders that this neighborhood’s history isn’t only about lumber barons.

What’s Changing

Not much, intentionally. Northwest Everett’s historic fabric is protected enough that the shape of the neighborhood in 2026 is recognizably the shape of the neighborhood in 1926. Most recent change is about restoration — owners putting money back into century-old homes — and a slow uptick in accessory dwelling unit conversions on the larger lots.

The biggest external change is on the edges. Broadway is busier than it used to be with EvCC growth, and the waterfront south of the neighborhood is in the middle of the Millwright District phase 2 expansion, which will pull more foot traffic up the bluff over time.

Why You’d Want to Live Here

If you want a craftsman with a porch, walking access to three parks, proximity to a community college, downtown five minutes south, and the waterfront ten minutes down the hill, Northwest Everett is the answer. Inventory is tight — historic homes don’t turn over often — and prices track higher than the city median because of the character premium. But for the right buyer, nothing else in Everett is really comparable.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the boundaries of Northwest Everett?
North of 19th Street and west of Broadway Avenue, running north to the Snohomish River and west to the bluff above Port Gardner Bay.

Is Northwest Everett the same as the Rucker Hill Historic District?
No. Rucker Hill is a historic district within Northwest Everett, centered on Rucker Avenue and its surrounding blocks. The Northwest Everett neighborhood is larger and includes Rucker Hill plus Grand Avenue, the EvCC campus, American Legion Memorial Park, and several other sub-areas.

Can I tour the historic homes?
Historic Everett (historiceverett.org) periodically runs guided walking tours of Rucker Hill and other parts of the neighborhood. The homes themselves are private residences, so please stick to the public sidewalk.

Is Everett Community College in Northwest Everett?
Yes. EvCC’s main campus at 2000 Tower Street is inside the neighborhood, along with the AMTEC advanced-manufacturing building that opened in 2014 and expanded in 2015.

What’s the best park view in Northwest Everett?
Grand Avenue Park for sunsets over Port Gardner Bay. American Legion Memorial Park for more open space and a public 9-hole golf course.

How old are the homes in Northwest Everett?
Most were built between 1891 and 1929 across three distinct booms — Rockefeller, Hill Revival, and the twenties. A few later homes exist in the neighborhood, but the historic housing stock defines it.

Is the Hartley Mansion on the National Register?
Yes. The Roland Hartley Mansion at 2320 Rucker Avenue was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.

Deeper Coverage in the Exploring Everett Series

For a more comprehensive treatment of the issues raised in this article, see:

• Living in Northwest Everett: The Complete 2026 Neighborhood Guide

What is Thornton A. Sullivan Park?

Thornton A. Sullivan Park at Silver Lake is a 35.3-acre City of Everett park at 11405 Silver Lake Road. It wraps the south end of Silver Lake and offers a swimming beach (no lifeguards), a 9-hole disc golf course, three picnic shelters, self-serve kayak and paddleboard rentals, a playground, waterfront trails, and Silver Hall for events. The park is open 6 a.m. to dusk year-round. Small electric or gas motors (8 horsepower maximum) are allowed on the lake.

The Everett park most locals drive past

Silver Lake has a neighborhood named after it, a shopping district named after it, and a highway exit named after it. What it doesn’t have — in most Everett residents’ mental maps — is the 35-acre park wrapping its south shore that most people haven’t actually walked since they were kids.

Thornton A. Sullivan Park at Silver Lake is that park. If you live anywhere south of 41st and want a day outside without driving to Mukilteo or over to Jetty Island, this is the answer most Everett locals haven’t fully reckoned with.

The basics

• Address: 11405 Silver Lake Road, Everett, WA 98208
• Size: 35.3 acres
• Hours: 6 a.m. to dusk, every day
• Cost: Free for day use
• Phone: City of Everett Parks, 425-257-8700
• Parking: Free on-site lot

No lifeguards are on duty. Life jackets are available to borrow at the beach.

What’s actually here

A real swimming beach

This is the big one. Silver Lake has an honest-to-goodness sand beach at the park — not a ramp, not a pier, an actual walk-into-the-water beach with a sand playground area right next to it. On hot summer weekends this is the default Everett family move for anyone who doesn’t want to fight traffic to a saltwater beach. Because the lake is smaller than a Sound beach, the water warms up faster in the spring, which makes this one of the first genuinely swimmable places in Everett each year.

The city posts water safety reminders prominently: no lifeguards, wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket if you’re not confident, and swim with a buddy. Drowning risk climbs sharply in summer across all Western Washington lakes — this park takes the messaging seriously, and so should visitors.

A 9-hole disc golf course

Thornton A. Sullivan has one of the better natural-terrain disc golf courses in Snohomish County. It’s 9 holes, forested, free to play, and busy on weekends. Beginners and veterans share the course. If you’ve never played disc golf, this is the most forgiving place in Everett to learn — the fairways are generous enough that first-timers aren’t constantly hunting lost discs.

Self-serve kayak and paddleboard rentals

Whenever Watersports operates a self-serve kayak and paddleboard rental kiosk at the park. It’s app-based — you rent from your phone, grab the gear, and return it when you’re done. The kiosk operates from sunrise to sunset, every day, with no reservations required. For an Everett family that wants to paddle without owning the equipment or hauling it anywhere, this is the simplest entry point to lake paddling in the city.

Silver Lake allows small motorized boats — electric or gas motors up to 8 horsepower. That cap keeps the lake quiet and swim-friendly while still allowing a fishing skiff.

Three picnic shelters

Camp Patterson Picnic Shelter, Silver Lake Beach Shelter, and the Silver Lake Dock Shelter each anchor a different section of the park. They’re reservable through the City of Everett. The main shelter seats up to 64 for large family gatherings or birthday parties.

Silver Hall

If you need to host an indoor event at the park, Silver Hall is 1,018 square feet with a 40-person capacity. It includes restrooms and a kitchen with a stove, oven, microwave, and refrigerator. Reservations go through the City of Everett Parks department.

Trails and waterfront access

The park has a loop trail system around the southern lakeshore with multiple waterfront viewpoints. The loop is short enough to walk with a toddler and long enough to actually count as a walk. There’s a concrete table tennis table in the sand area — a small detail, but the kind that tells you someone who used this park as a kid designed it.

Fishing

Silver Lake is stocked and open to fishing with a valid Washington fishing license. The park’s waterfront viewpoints and the dock area are the most common fishing spots.

When to go

Spring (April–May): The best time for walking the trails and playing disc golf. Water’s still cold for swimming, but the park is quiet and the weather is starting to turn.

Summer (June–August): Prime swimming and paddling season. Weekends get crowded — plan to arrive before 11 a.m. if you want a shaded picnic spot or a shelter without a reservation. Weekdays are dramatically quieter.

Fall (September–October): Disc golf weather is excellent through October. The trees around the disc golf course turn and the park empties out.

Winter: The park stays open at 6 a.m. to dusk year-round. Trails are walkable in most weather. The disc golf course plays cold but plays fine.

How the park got here

Thornton A. Sullivan Park is named for a long-serving parks commissioner whose work shaped the Everett parks system for decades. The park has been Everett’s primary lake-access park since the city acquired and developed the site, and it’s been expanded and renovated in phases over the years. Today’s 35.3 acres include the southern arc of Silver Lake’s shore, the beach, the wooded disc golf corridor, and the meadow zone around the picnic shelters.

What makes the park distinct in Everett’s park system is that it’s one of the only city parks built around a lake — not a viewpoint of Port Gardner Bay, not a city block retrofit, but a park where the water is the point.

Who this park is for

Families who want a swim day without leaving the city. Disc golfers who want 9 holes they can play after work. Paddlers who don’t own a kayak. Anyone hosting a birthday party in Everett who doesn’t want to pay for a venue. Seniors who want a flat, walkable loop with benches. Kids who want a playground with a beach attached.

If you’ve lived in Everett for a decade and haven’t been to Thornton A. Sullivan in five years, you’ve probably forgotten how good this park is.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Thornton A. Sullivan Park in Everett?

The park is at 11405 Silver Lake Road, Everett, WA 98208, wrapping the south end of Silver Lake in the Silver Lake neighborhood of south Everett.

What are the hours of Thornton A. Sullivan Park?

The park is open from 6 a.m. to dusk every day of the year. There are no lifeguards on duty at any time.

Is there a swimming beach at Silver Lake?

Yes. The park includes a sand beach with designated swimming area. There are no lifeguards, so swimmers are asked to wear Coast Guard-approved life jackets (available to borrow) and swim with a buddy.

Can you rent kayaks at Thornton A. Sullivan Park?

Yes. Whenever Watersports operates a self-serve kayak and paddleboard rental kiosk on the lakeshore. Rentals are app-based, available sunrise to sunset, with no reservations required.

Is there a disc golf course at the park?

Yes. The park has a 9-hole natural-terrain disc golf course. It’s free to play and open during park hours.

Can you have a motorized boat on Silver Lake?

Yes, but only small motors — electric or gas motors up to 8 horsepower are allowed. That keeps Silver Lake quiet and swim-friendly while allowing fishing skiffs.

Can you reserve picnic shelters or Silver Hall?

Yes. Camp Patterson Picnic Shelter, the Silver Lake Beach shelter, the Silver Lake Dock shelter, and Silver Hall are all reservable through the City of Everett. Silver Hall seats 40 and includes a kitchen; the largest picnic shelter seats up to 64.

Is fishing allowed at Silver Lake?

Yes. A valid Washington State fishing license is required. The dock and waterfront viewpoints are the most common fishing spots.

Related

• Living in Silver Lake: Everett’s Neighborhood With an Actual Lake in the Middle of It
• Howarth Park: The Everett Beach You Drive Past Without Knowing It’s There
• Forest Park’s Hidden Trails, Animal Farm, and 130 Years of Everett History

What is the Riverside neighborhood in Everett?

Riverside is Everett’s oldest neighborhood, running from 19th Street south to Pacific Avenue and from Broadway east to the Snohomish River. It was first platted in 1891 and is home to Garfield Park, Riverside Park, Summit Park, JJ Hill Park, and Judd & Black Park — more public green space per square block than almost any other Everett neighborhood. Residents are automatically members of the Riverside Neighborhood Association and pay no dues.

Everett’s first neighborhood, still writing its story

Most Everett guides start downtown. Riverside was there first.

The eastern-most part of the neighborhood was platted by the Mitchell Land Company and filed on September 23, 1891 — the third plat in Everett, just weeks behind the first two, and months before the main plat of the city itself. Everything east of Broadway and west of the Snohomish River that sits between 19th and Pacific traces its street grid back to that filing. By the time Everett incorporated in 1893, Riverside was already a neighborhood with a name, streets, and a working river on its eastern edge.

That matters, because Riverside is the neighborhood that most directly connects modern Everett to its sawmill-and-railroad origin story. The Snohomish River isn’t a view from Riverside — it’s the eastern property line. Stand at the top of Summit Avenue and you’re looking at the same ridge workers climbed home to after a shift at the waterfront mills a hundred and thirty years ago.

Where Riverside actually is

If you’re new to Everett, the boundaries are easy to hold in your head:

• North: 19th Street
• South: Pacific Avenue
• East: the Snohomish River
• West: Broadway

Broadway is the western artery — the wall that separates Riverside from the Bayside grid to the west. Everything between Broadway and the river is Riverside. That’s a rectangle roughly a mile wide and a mile and a half tall, cut through by Everett Avenue, Hewitt Avenue, Pacific Avenue, and a whole lot of quiet residential streets that most Everett residents have driven past without ever knowing they were there.

Six parks in one neighborhood

Riverside’s quiet superpower is parks. For a neighborhood this small, the park inventory is remarkable — and most of them are the kind of parks only locals know about.

Garfield Park (23rd & Walnut)

The anchor park. Baseball fields, a playground, a walking track, pickleball courts, basketball, tennis courts — all in one footprint. Garfield is the park where Riverside kids grow up, Little League seasons happen, and pickleball players have been quietly organizing for years. The city has an active renovation plan in motion, and we’ve covered the Garfield makeover separately.

Riverside Park (Everett Avenue & East Grand)

A viewpoint park at the east end of Everett Avenue overlooking the Snohomish River and the Cascade foothills beyond. There’s a little free library here. The view at sunrise is arguably the best unofficial viewpoint in Everett — and one that almost no tourist guide mentions.

Summit Park (Summit Avenue)

The highest point in Riverside. On a clear day you can see the Cascade Mountains from Summit, which is why generations of Riverside families have walked up there to watch the Fourth of July fireworks.

JJ Hill Park (Hewitt & Broadway)

A pocket park at the western edge — small, but it does the job of breaking up the Hewitt-Broadway intersection with a patch of green.

Judd & Black Park (Hewitt Avenue & Maple)

Another small neighborhood park — the kind of place where locals walk their dogs on the way back from the grocery store and nobody else stops.

The Snohomish Riverfront

Technically not a city park, but functionally one — the Snohomish Riverfront Trail system runs along the eastern edge of the neighborhood, and the Lowell Riverfront Trail extension sits a short walk south. Snohomish County has been acquiring former Puget Sound Energy corridor parcels since 2020 for the Snohomish River Trail Phase 1, which will eventually knit the whole riverfront together from Everett to Snohomish.

The neighborhood association that actually runs things

The Riverside Neighborhood Association is one of Everett’s most active. Residents are automatically members — no sign-up, no dues. The association uses mini-grants from the City of Everett to fund community programs, organize events, and lobby on neighborhood infrastructure questions.

That “automatically a member” structure matters. It means the neighborhood association isn’t a small club of the same ten people — it’s a framework that lets anyone on any Riverside block show up to a meeting and count. If you just moved in, you already belong.

What it’s like to live here

Riverside’s housing stock is older than almost anywhere else in Everett, which means you get the good and the quirky. Craftsman houses with original woodwork. Mid-century ramblers. The occasional Victorian holdout. Streets that don’t quite line up with the rest of the city because they were laid out before the modern grid was imposed. Mature trees that give the neighborhood a canopy most Everett neighborhoods haven’t had time to grow.

It’s also one of the most walkable non-downtown neighborhoods in the city. Hewitt Avenue runs through it. Everett Avenue runs through it. You can walk from central Riverside to downtown Everett in fifteen minutes and to the riverfront in ten.

The demographic profile tilts toward a mix of long-time residents and younger households who’ve figured out that Riverside offers Everett’s most house for the money once you get east of Rucker. Rentals make up about half the housing stock, but owner-occupancy is higher here than in many central Everett neighborhoods.

What long-timers say

The thing longtime Riverside residents repeat, almost verbatim, is that the neighborhood is underrated — and they’d prefer to keep it that way. It doesn’t have the waterfront cachet of Bayside. It doesn’t have the lake of Silver Lake. What it has is history, parks, the river, and a neighborhood association that actually meets and actually gets things done.

If you’re reading a Riverside neighborhood guide, you’re probably already the kind of person who would fit in here.

Getting around

Broadway and Rucker handle the north-south traffic. Hewitt, Everett, and Pacific handle the east-west. I-5 is a five-minute drive west. The Snohomish Riverfront Trail is a walk east. The Everett Transit Station is a mile south, which puts commuters on a Sound Transit bus to Seattle without needing to drive to a park-and-ride.

For the riverfront trail connection specifically, the Mill Town Trail loop ties the Port of Everett waterfront to Riverside Park via East Grand Avenue — a continuous six-plus-mile walking loop that uses Riverside as its eastern anchor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Riverside neighborhood in Everett?

Riverside sits between 19th Street and Pacific Avenue on the north-south axis, and between Broadway and the Snohomish River on the east-west axis. It’s directly east of Bayside and directly north of the Port Gardner / Pacific Avenue corridor.

Is Riverside really Everett’s oldest neighborhood?

Yes. The first plat in what is now Riverside was filed in September 1891 — earlier than the main plat of Everett itself. The neighborhood’s eastern blocks trace directly back to that filing.

How many parks are in Riverside?

Five official city parks sit inside the neighborhood: Garfield Park, Riverside Park, Summit Park, JJ Hill Park, and Judd & Black Park. The Snohomish Riverfront Trail corridor runs along the eastern edge, adding a sixth functional green space.

Does Riverside have a neighborhood association?

Yes. The Riverside Neighborhood Association covers the entire boundary area. Residents are automatically members, there are no dues, and the association uses City of Everett mini-grants to fund neighborhood programs.

Is Riverside a good place to live in Everett?

For buyers and renters who value walkability, older housing stock, mature trees, and proximity to both downtown Everett and the Snohomish River, Riverside is among the strongest options in the city. It sits outside the price pressure of the waterfront and the density of downtown while keeping a short walk to both.

What’s the history of Garfield Park?

Garfield Park is one of Everett’s oldest named parks, anchored at 23rd and Walnut. It has grown into a multi-use facility with baseball fields, a playground, a walking track, pickleball, basketball, and tennis — and the city is currently advancing a formal renovation plan for the park.

How do I join the Riverside Neighborhood Association?

You already did. If you live inside the Riverside boundaries — 19th Street to Pacific Avenue, Broadway to the river — you are automatically a member and can attend any association meeting or event without signing up or paying dues.

Related

• Living in Bayside: Everett’s Historic Heart
• Lowell: Everett’s Oldest Neighborhood Still Has Its Best Stories Left to Tell
• Garfield Park Is Getting a Major Makeover

Everett has one of the most underutilized social safety nets of any city its size in Puget Sound — not because the help isn’t there, but because most residents never learn about it until they are in crisis and don’t have time to research. This is the plainspoken, no-judgment version of the guide, written for Everett residents specifically.

If you are having a hard month in Everett — short on groceries, behind on rent, a parent trying to find preschool, an older adult looking for community, or someone in serious crisis — here is where to go first.

If you need food this week

Walk into the Everett Community Food Bank at 1230 Broadway. Hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., plus the second and fourth Tuesdays from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. You don’t prove income. You don’t bring paperwork. You don’t explain yourself to anyone. You walk in, you get groceries, grocery-store style. That is the actual policy — “no eligibility or documentation requirements to receive food” is the exact language.

The food bank is run by Volunteers of America Western Washington, a nonprofit headquartered on Broadway that handles more than 315,000 requests for assistance a year across Snohomish County.

If you live on or near Casino Road

Two neighborhood pantries put food distribution closer to home:

The Village, 14 E Casino Rd — second, fourth, and fifth Tuesdays, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Bible Baptist Church, 805 W Casino Rd — first and third Tuesdays, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Same no-documentation rule. Same grocery-style shopping. The Casino Road pantries are a neighborhood-owned effort with VOAWW as the operational backbone.

If you are behind on rent or have lost housing

Call (425) 259-3191. Ask for housing assistance. VOAWW runs emergency rental assistance, rapid rehousing (for people who have lost housing and need to get back in), and longer-term stabilization. No program can help every request, but this is one of the right phone numbers in Snohomish County.

Other Everett-area housing help you can call in the same conversation: Housing Hope (HousingHope.org) and the Snohomish County Human Services Housing helpline. VOAWW can refer you to these if their own programs are at capacity.

If you have a child ages 3 to 5 and need preschool you can afford

Call (425) 259-3191 and ask about Trailside ECEAP. ECEAP is Washington State’s publicly funded preschool for income-qualifying families — free or reduced-cost, full preschool program with curriculum, meals, and family engagement. VOAWW operates the Trailside site in Everett.

ECEAP enrollment is based on income and priority factors. Most families who qualify don’t realize they do. It is worth the call.

If you are 50 or older and looking for community

The Carl Gipson Center at 3025 Lombard Avenue, phone (425) 818-2744, is the Everett community hub for adults 50 and older, veterans, and people with disabilities. Classes, meals, programs, people. Membership-based, low cost. For many members it is the anchor of the week.

If you are an older adult in Everett who feels alone or isolated, the Gipson Center is one of the most direct fixes available.

If you or someone you love is in crisis

Immediate safety emergency: 911.

Suicide and crisis support, 24/7, anywhere in the U.S.: call or text 988.

VOAWW’s 24/7 crisis line is a Snohomish County resource staffed by trained counselors. Call (425) 259-3191 for the current routing to the crisis team, or use 988 for the national line.

If you want to help

Three easy options:

Donate money. VOAWW’s purchasing power through food-bank networks makes each dollar stretch further than the equivalent retail food donation. Donations at voaww.org or by mail to PO Box 839, Everett, WA 98206-0839.

Donate food. Drop off Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1230 Broadway.

Volunteer your time. Sign up at volunteer.voaww.org. Ongoing needs include food bank stocking and distribution, Gipson Center programs, ECEAP classroom support.

The thing most Everett residents don’t know

None of these services require a dramatic situation to use. The food bank is not just for homelessness — plenty of Everett households on thin budgets use it for one week, a month, or a year to stretch a paycheck. The housing help is not just for people already evicted — it is often most effective when you call before eviction. ECEAP is not charity, it is state-funded preschool your tax dollars already paid for.

Use the things that exist. That is what they exist for.

Related Exploring Everett coverage

• Casino Road in South Everett: The Complete Neighborhood Guide
• Everett’s Utility Tax Proposal Explained

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the Everett food bank if I have a job?

Yes. There are no income checks. There is no eligibility paperwork. If you need groceries, you walk in.

What days is the Everett Community Food Bank open?

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 10 a.m.-2 p.m., plus the second and fourth Tuesdays 2 p.m.-5 p.m. Located at 1230 Broadway.

Is the Casino Road food pantry the same program as the Broadway food bank?

Yes — both run by VOAWW. Same no-documentation, grocery-style policies. The Casino Road sites are neighborhood-located for families in that area.

Can VOAWW help me pay this month’s rent?

Maybe. Call (425) 259-3191 and describe the situation. Rental assistance programs are capacity-limited and the answer depends on your specific situation, but this is the right first call.

What is ECEAP?

Washington State’s publicly funded preschool program for eligible children ages 3-5. VOAWW operates the Trailside ECEAP site in Everett. Enrollment starts with a call to (425) 259-3191.

Who runs the Carl Gipson Center?

VOAWW. The center at 3025 Lombard Avenue is the Everett community hub for adults 50 and older. Phone: (425) 818-2744.

How do I reach the 24/7 crisis line?

For immediate safety, 911. For suicide or mental health crisis support, call or text 988. For Snohomish County crisis routing, (425) 259-3191.

Quick answer: Volunteers of America Western Washington (VOAWW) is headquartered at 2802 Broadway in Everett and responds to more than 315,000 requests for assistance a year across Snohomish County. Its programs include the no-documentation Everett Community Food Bank at 1230 Broadway, two Casino Road food pantries, the Carl Gipson Center for adults 50 and older at 3025 Lombard Avenue, the Trailside ECEAP preschool, rapid rehousing and rental assistance, crisis counseling, and a 24/7 crisis line. Main phone: (425) 259-3191.

If you have lived in Everett for any length of time, you have probably heard the name Volunteers of America — most often shortened to VOA — and you may know someone who has walked through one of their doors. What most people don’t know is how big the operation actually is, or how many different kinds of help it provides from its Everett base.

This is the complete 2026 guide to the organization, program by program, with every address and phone number a resident might actually need.

The Headquarters: 2802 Broadway

VOAWW’s administrative headquarters is at 2802 Broadway in Everett, WA 98201. The main line is (425) 259-3191. The mailing address for donations or general correspondence is PO Box 839, Everett, WA 98206-0839.

The headquarters building is the front door for the whole network. If you don’t know which program you need, calling the main number and describing the situation will route you to the right team.

VOAWW reports responding to more than 315,000 requests for assistance annually. A significant share of that volume is processed through Everett facilities and Everett staff.

The Everett Community Food Bank: 1230 Broadway

The VOAWW Everett Community Food Bank operates at 1230 Broadway, Everett, WA 98201 — a few blocks north of headquarters. Two policies shape who walks in:

No documentation required. The food bank’s public materials are explicit: “There are no eligibility or documentation requirements to receive food.” You don’t prove income. You don’t bring paperwork. You don’t explain your situation.

Grocery-store style. Guests walk through and select their own food rather than receiving a pre-assembled bag. Dietary restrictions, cultural preferences, allergies, and what kids will actually eat all matter, and the grocery-style model respects the dignity of the person shopping.

Hours for groceries:

• Monday, Wednesday, Thursday — 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Second and fourth Tuesday — 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Donations accepted: Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Food bank phone: (425) 259-3191 ext. 13014
Email: food@voaww.org

The Casino Road Food Pantries

In addition to the Broadway food bank, VOAWW runs two food pantries on Casino Road that put food distribution directly into the neighborhood that uses it most:

The Village
14 E Casino Rd, Everett, WA 98208
Second, fourth, and fifth Tuesdays, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Bible Baptist Church
805 W Casino Rd, Everett, WA 98204
First and third Tuesdays, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Same no-documentation, grocery-style policy as the Broadway food bank. The Casino Road pantries are a partnership between VOAWW and the local neighborhood — a significant share of volunteer energy, food donation, and community ownership of the work comes from Casino Road itself.

The Carl Gipson Center: 3025 Lombard Avenue

The Carl Gipson Center at 3025 Lombard Avenue, Everett, WA 98201 is VOAWW’s membership-based community home for adults 50 and older, veterans, people with disabilities, immigrants, and other underserved communities. Phone: (425) 818-2744.

The Gipson Center offers classes, meals, social connection, health programs, and a consistent community hub. For many Everett older adults, it is the anchor point of their week. For the city, it is one of the most concrete answers to “where do older adults find community here?”

The Trailside ECEAP Preschool

ECEAP (Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program) is Washington State’s publicly funded preschool for eligible children. VOAWW operates the Trailside ECEAP in Everett, offering free or reduced-cost preschool to qualifying families.

ECEAP eligibility is based on income and need. Families who qualify can enroll children ages 3 to 5 for a full preschool experience at no cost. This is not daycare — it is a structured preschool program with school-readiness curriculum, meals, and family engagement services.

Enrollment starts with a call to the main VOAWW line, (425) 259-3191.

Housing: Rapid Rehousing and Rental Assistance

VOAWW’s housing programs span the continuum from emergency rental assistance (one-time help to prevent eviction) to rapid rehousing (short-term rent and case management for people who have lost housing and are getting back into stable housing) to longer-term stabilization services.

The practical version: if someone in Everett is at risk of losing housing, or has already lost it, VOAWW is one of the first places to call. The programs are capacity-limited — no one can promise assistance for every request — but the organization is a primary entry point for housing stabilization help in Snohomish County.

To inquire about housing help, call (425) 259-3191 and describe the situation. The intake team will determine which specific program fits and what the next step is.

Crisis Services and the 24/7 Crisis Line

VOAWW operates a 24/7 crisis line serving Snohomish County and adjacent counties. For someone in mental-health crisis, experiencing thoughts of suicide, or needing immediate support, the crisis line is staffed around the clock by trained counselors.

For immediate safety concerns, always call 911.

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is the national 24/7 resource as well, accessible from anywhere in the U.S. by calling or texting 988.

How to volunteer with VOAWW

Ongoing volunteer needs include food bank stocking and distribution, Carl Gipson Center programming, ECEAP classroom support, and administrative support at headquarters. Volunteer sign-up is at volunteer.voaww.org or by calling the main line.

For employers and community groups interested in group volunteer days, VOAWW coordinates these through the headquarters staff.

How to donate

Financial donations: voaww.org
Mail: PO Box 839, Everett, WA 98206-0839
Food donations: Dropped at the Everett Community Food Bank, 1230 Broadway, Monday-Friday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Monetary donations are typically more impactful dollar-for-dollar than food donations because VOAWW’s purchasing power through food-bank networks lets each dollar stretch further than a retail purchase.

The bigger Everett picture

VOAWW is one of several major social service organizations operating in Everett — alongside Snohomish County’s own Veterans Assistance Program, Housing Hope, Cocoon House, Catholic Community Services, and a range of smaller neighborhood organizations. The specific thing VOAWW does that many others don’t is the no-documentation, grocery-style food bank at scale, combined with the older-adult anchor at the Carl Gipson Center and the ECEAP preschool.

For a city the size of Everett, having a nonprofit of this scale headquartered on Broadway is not just operationally useful — it is part of what makes the city’s social safety net visible and accessible.

Related Exploring Everett coverage

• Everett’s Utility Tax Proposal Explained: What the 12% Rate Means
• How Everett’s $10.74 Monthly Water Bill Increase Will Hit Your Household
• Casino Road in South Everett: The Complete Neighborhood Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Volunteers of America Western Washington headquartered?

2802 Broadway, Everett, WA 98201. Main phone: (425) 259-3191. Mailing: PO Box 839, Everett, WA 98206-0839.

Do I need to prove income or bring paperwork to the Everett food bank?

No. The Everett Community Food Bank at 1230 Broadway has no eligibility or documentation requirements. You walk in, you receive groceries, grocery-store style.

What are the hours of the Everett Community Food Bank?

Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., plus the second and fourth Tuesdays from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Where are the Casino Road food pantries?

The Village (14 E Casino Rd) opens 2-5 p.m. on the second, fourth, and fifth Tuesdays. Bible Baptist Church (805 W Casino Rd) opens 3-5 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays.

What is the Carl Gipson Center?

VOAWW’s community hub for adults 50 and older, veterans, and people with disabilities. Located at 3025 Lombard Avenue, Everett. Phone: (425) 818-2744.

Does VOAWW help with housing?

Yes. Programs include emergency rental assistance, rapid rehousing, and longer-term stabilization services. Call (425) 259-3191 to inquire.

How do I enroll a child in ECEAP preschool?

Call (425) 259-3191. ECEAP is Washington State’s publicly funded preschool for eligible families. Trailside ECEAP is VOAWW’s Everett site.

How do I volunteer with VOAWW?

Sign up at volunteer.voaww.org or call the main line at (425) 259-3191.

Quick answer: Volunteers of America Western Washington is headquartered in Everett at 2802 Broadway and operates one of the busiest food banks in Snohomish County along with Casino Road food pantries, the Carl Gipson Center for older adults, the Trailside ECEAP preschool, rapid rehousing, and a 24/7 crisis line. The organization responds to more than 315,000 requests for assistance a year, and its Everett food bank requires no documentation — you walk in, you get groceries, grocery-store style.

Ask around Everett about where people in a hard month go for help, and the same name keeps coming up: VOA. Volunteers of America Western Washington has been part of the fabric of this city for decades, and most of the work they do quietly — housing people out of crisis, feeding families without asking questions, running a preschool for kids whose families can’t afford one, answering the phone at 3 a.m. for someone thinking about ending it.

This is a local’s guide to what VOAWW actually does in Everett, where it does it, and how to find help or plug in.

The Headquarters and What It Means Locally

VOAWW’s administrative headquarters sits at 2802 Broadway in Everett, with the main phone line at (425) 259-3191. That’s the front door for everything else — if you don’t know which program you need, the team there can route you. The mailing address for donations or referrals is PO Box 839, Everett, WA 98206-0839.

Everett being the operational home of a nonprofit of this size matters. According to VOAWW, the organization receives more than 315,000 requests for assistance a year — and a large share of that volume runs through Everett facilities, Everett staff, and Everett neighbors showing up for their neighbors.

The Everett Food Bank: No Paperwork, Just Groceries

The VOAWW Everett Food Bank operates out of 1230 Broadway, a few blocks north of headquarters. Two facts about this food bank are worth emphasizing because they shape who walks in:

1. There is no eligibility check. You don’t prove income. You don’t bring documentation. You don’t explain your situation. You walk in. The official language on VOAWW’s materials is blunt about this: “There are no eligibility or documentation requirements to receive food.” That’s intentional — it’s designed to remove every barrier between “I’m running short this week” and “I have food on the table tonight.”

2. It’s grocery-store style, not a handed-out bag. Guests walk through and select what they actually need, which matters more than it sounds. Dietary restrictions, cultural foods, allergies, what your kids will actually eat — those matter. A grocery-style model respects the dignity of the person shopping.

Hours for groceries:

• Monday, Wednesday, Thursday — 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Second and fourth Tuesday — 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Donations of food are accepted Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The food bank phone number is (425) 259-3191 ext. 13014, and the email is food@voaww.org.

Casino Road Food Pantries

In addition to the Broadway food bank, VOAWW operates two Casino Road food pantries that put food distribution inside the neighborhood that needs it most. These are small, local, and hyper-predictable — the same days every month so families can plan:

• The Village — 14 E Casino Rd, Everett, WA 98208. Second, fourth, and fifth Tuesdays, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Bible Baptist Church — 805 W Casino Rd, Everett, WA 98204. First and third Tuesdays, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Same no-documentation rule applies. This is one of those quiet things that makes Casino Road what it is — the neighborhood showing up for itself, with VOAWW as the backbone.

The Carl Gipson Center: 50+ Community

The Carl Gipson Center at 3025 Lombard Avenue is VOAWW’s membership-based community home for adults 50 and older, veterans, people with disabilities, immigrants, and underserved communities more broadly. The phone is (425) 818-2744.

The Gipson Center is where Everett older adults go for classes, meals, social connection, and a consistent community hub. For many members, it’s the anchor point of their week. For Everett more broadly, it’s one of the most concrete answers to the question “where do older adults in this city find community?”

Housing: Rapid Rehousing and Stability

VOAWW’s housing programs span short-term rental assistance to long-term stabilization services. The practical version: if someone in Everett is at risk of losing housing, or has lost it, VOAWW is one of the first places to call. Short-term rental assistance helps people obtain housing quickly and stay housed. Longer-term case management connects families with the services they need to remain stable.

This is the kind of program that doesn’t make headlines because its success looks like nothing happening — someone didn’t become homeless, because the help arrived in time.

Early Learning: Trailside ECEAP Preschool

VOAWW operates Trailside ECEAP at 1300b 100th Pl SE, Everett, as part of Washington’s Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program — free preschool for eligible families. The contact is (425) 212-2941.

ECEAP is Washington’s answer to the research consensus that high-quality preschool changes educational trajectories, especially for kids from lower-income families. Trailside is one of the local versions of that answer, and it’s serving Everett families who would otherwise not have access to preschool at all.

Disability Services and Crisis Support

Two more VOAWW programs worth naming because Everett residents call them often:

Supported Living — In partnership with Washington State DSHS, this program helps adults with developmental disabilities live in their own homes in the community with the right support. That’s independence without isolation, which is an unusual and valuable thing to offer.

Crisis Services — VOAWW provides 24/7 crisis support for people considering suicide and for people who want to help someone else get care. This program is one of the regional anchors for behavioral health crisis response.

How to Help

If you want to plug in locally, there are four front doors:

Donate food. The Broadway food bank accepts donations Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Non-perishables, fresh produce, and culturally relevant foods are all welcome — Casino Road serves large Latino and Southeast Asian communities, and food that reflects that makes a difference.

Volunteer. The Everett Community Food Bank regularly needs volunteers to stock shelves, welcome guests, and help run distribution. Start at volunteer.voaww.org.

Donate money. Every program listed above runs partly on public contracts and partly on private donations. Recurring monthly giving is the single highest-leverage way to help because it stabilizes staffing.

Refer someone. The easiest help to give is knowing the 2802 Broadway phone number — (425) 259-3191 — and passing it to a neighbor, coworker, or family member who could use it. VOAWW will triage and route.

The Through-Line

The reason VOAWW shows up in conversations about every Everett issue — housing, hunger, older adults, early learning, mental health, disability — is that the organization built its footprint to address the full stack of what actually makes a city work for its most vulnerable residents. You can’t fix housing without food security. You can’t fix food security without early learning. You can’t fix early learning without behavioral health. VOAWW treats those as one problem, which is the whole point.

Everett is the headquarters for a reason.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Volunteers of America Everett Food Bank?
At 1230 Broadway in Everett. It is open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Do I need to prove income or bring documents to get food?
No. VOAWW’s Everett food bank and Casino Road food pantries have no eligibility or documentation requirements. You walk in and you are served.

Where are the Casino Road food pantries?
The Village at 14 E Casino Rd (second, fourth, and fifth Tuesdays, 2–5 p.m.) and Bible Baptist Church at 805 W Casino Rd (first and third Tuesdays, 3–5 p.m.).

What is the Carl Gipson Center?
A membership-based community center at 3025 Lombard Avenue in Everett serving adults 50 and older, veterans, people with disabilities, and other community members. The phone is (425) 818-2744.

How do I reach VOAWW’s main office in Everett?
Call (425) 259-3191 or visit 2802 Broadway. The mailing address is PO Box 839, Everett, WA 98206-0839.

How can I volunteer or donate?
Volunteer sign-ups are at volunteer.voaww.org. Food donations are accepted at the Broadway food bank Monday–Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monetary donations can be made through voaww.org.

Does VOAWW run a preschool in Everett?
Yes — Trailside ECEAP at 1300b 100th Pl SE, Everett, part of Washington’s free Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program. Contact: (425) 212-2941.

Quick answer: View Ridge-Madison sits on the hills south of downtown Everett between Pigeon Creek No. 1 and Pigeon Creek No. 2, home to roughly 7,400 residents, two elementary schools, and some of the best Port Gardner Bay views in the city. Its neighborhood association meets monthly at View Ridge Elementary’s library (202 Alder St.), and Niche currently rates it a “B” and ranks it among Everett’s top three neighborhoods to live in.

If you’ve ever driven Mukilteo Boulevard on a clear afternoon, dropped down toward Howarth Park, and caught yourself staring out at Port Gardner Bay instead of the road — you were probably cutting through View Ridge-Madison. It’s one of those Everett neighborhoods that hides in plain sight. People who live elsewhere know the name vaguely. People who live here tend to stay for decades.

This is the full local’s guide: what the neighborhood actually is, where the boundaries run, what the association is working on in 2026, the schools, the parks next door, and what longtime residents say keeps them here.

Where Is View Ridge-Madison, Exactly?

View Ridge-Madison sits on the rising ground south of downtown Everett, perched on the western slope above Puget Sound. According to the City of Everett’s neighborhood page, the boundaries run:

• North: Port Gardner Bay
• South: Madison Avenue
• East: Pigeon Creek No. 1
• West: Pigeon Creek No. 2

Translated into drive-around terms: you’re west of Broadway, south of Hewitt, and you pick up elevation fast as you head toward the water. The neighborhood earned its name from the view — you can stand on certain blocks along Rucker, Grand, and Dogwood and see straight across Port Gardner Bay to Hat Island and the Olympics behind it.

Forest Park borders View Ridge-Madison on its southern edge, which means residents have one of Everett’s best urban greenspaces essentially as a backyard. Howarth Park, with its beach access to Puget Sound, sits just to the west.

Who Lives Here

View Ridge-Madison is home to around 7,436 residents, according to the Niche neighborhood profile. Per Homes.com’s local guide, most residents own their homes, the median home value sits around $555,506, and the median rent is roughly $1,635. Homes tend to be older — a lot of 1940s through 1970s construction with mature trees — on larger lots than you’d find in newer Everett developments.

Niche grants the neighborhood an overall B grade and currently ranks it among Everett’s top three neighborhoods to live in. The ratings that drive that score are public schools, outdoor activities, and commuting — which anyone who lives here would immediately recognize as the real reasons people stay.

The Association: How Neighbors Actually Get Things Done

Like all 21 Everett neighborhoods, View Ridge-Madison has a recognized neighborhood association that meets regularly and serves as the connective tissue between residents and City Hall. Under the Office of Neighborhoods, associations handle things like traffic-calming requests, block parties, input on development proposals, and the annual cleanup and safety events that keep a neighborhood feeling like one.

The View Ridge-Madison association meets at 7 p.m. in the library at View Ridge Elementary, 202 Alder St., Everett, WA 98203. The 2026 meeting schedule, per the city’s neighborhood page:

• Thursday, Jan. 15
• Thursday, Feb. 12
• Thursday, March 19
• Thursday, April 16
• Thursday, May 21

Meetings resume after a summer break, with no meetings in July, August, or December. If you want your boundary map, an introduction to the association leadership, or help finding which association covers your block, the City’s Office of Neighborhoods is reachable at (425) 257-7112.

The Schools

View Ridge-Madison is a neighborhood where your elementary school is a five-minute walk, not a fifteen-minute drive. Two Everett Public Schools elementaries sit inside the boundaries:

• View Ridge Elementary — 202 Alder Street. The association’s meeting home and the namesake of half the neighborhood.
• Madison Elementary — the other half of the neighborhood name.

Middle and high school students feed into Everett Public Schools’ secondary network — generally Evergreen Middle School and then Everett High School or Cascade High School, depending on where your block falls in the boundary map. Both high schools earned outsized attention this year: Everett Public Schools hit a record 96.3% on-time graduation rate, and Cascade recently rolled out its IB program. If you’re a young family checking out View Ridge-Madison, the school story here is a legitimate part of the pitch.

The Parks Next Door

You don’t need a big park inside View Ridge-Madison, because two of Everett’s best parks touch it on two sides.

Forest Park sits along the southern edge, offering 198 acres of forested trails, the Animal Farm, a swim center, and more than a century of Everett history layered into its grounds. It’s the neighborhood “big park” in every practical sense.

Howarth Park, on the west, gives residents rare direct access to Puget Sound beach — a pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks drops you onto one of the quieter stretches of sand in the region. On a warm weekend, View Ridge-Madison residents are the people walking dogs on the beach there while the rest of Everett is hunting parking.

Inside the neighborhood itself, the City notes several smaller green spaces and the scenic overlook streets that gave the neighborhood its name.

What Longtime Residents Say Keeps Them Here

Three themes come up again and again at association meetings and on local Facebook groups, and they’ll sound familiar if you know this part of town:

The views. Specific streets — along Grand, Rucker, and Dogwood especially — have unobstructed Port Gardner Bay sightlines that real estate listings haven’t fully priced in yet. On a summer evening, you get the Olympic silhouette and ferries moving across the bay.

The walkability. Mature sidewalks, gentle grid blocks, and two elementary schools inside the boundaries mean kids walk to school and adults can loop Forest Park trails before dinner. Commuting into downtown Everett or onto I-5 is still fast.

The stability. The housing stock is older, which means original owners and families who’ve stayed for 20–30 years. The neighbor who knows everyone is not a cliché here; it’s the norm.

Getting Involved

If you live in View Ridge-Madison and have never been to an association meeting, the easiest first step is to show up at the next one at View Ridge Elementary — no commitment, just pull up a chair. If you’re not sure whether your block is in View Ridge-Madison or a neighboring association like Delta, Lowell, or Port Gardner, call the Office of Neighborhoods at (425) 257-7112 and they’ll send you a boundary map.

The association also keeps a public Facebook group where residents share lost-pet posts, bear sightings (yes, really, sometimes), traffic-calming requests, and the occasional “someone’s selling a free trampoline” thread.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is View Ridge-Madison in Everett?
View Ridge-Madison sits on the hills south of downtown Everett, bordered by Port Gardner Bay to the north, Madison Avenue to the south, Pigeon Creek No. 1 to the east, and Pigeon Creek No. 2 to the west. Forest Park runs along its southern edge and Howarth Park sits just west.

When does the View Ridge-Madison Neighborhood Association meet in 2026?
At 7 p.m. on Jan. 15, Feb. 12, March 19, April 16, and May 21, at the library in View Ridge Elementary, 202 Alder St., Everett, WA 98203. No meetings July, August, or December.

What schools serve View Ridge-Madison?
The neighborhood includes View Ridge Elementary and Madison Elementary, both part of Everett Public Schools. Older students typically feed into Evergreen Middle and either Everett or Cascade High School depending on attendance boundaries.

How many people live in View Ridge-Madison?
About 7,436 residents, per the Niche neighborhood profile. Most are homeowners, and the neighborhood skews family-heavy.

Is View Ridge-Madison a good place to live?
Niche rates it a B overall and currently ranks it among Everett’s top three neighborhoods. The core pitch is schools, outdoor access via Forest Park and Howarth Park, and Port Gardner Bay views — all within a walkable, stable, grid-block layout.

How do I find out which neighborhood association I’m in?
Call the City of Everett’s Office of Neighborhoods at (425) 257-7112 or email nwebber@everettwa.gov for a boundary map.

Featured answer: Everett Public Schools announced a 96.3% four-year on-time graduation rate for the class of 2025 — the highest in the district’s history. Cascade High School led district high schools at 96.6%, up from 94.6% the prior year.

Everett School District’s Graduation Rate Just Hit a New Record — Here’s What’s Behind It

Everett Public Schools just logged the highest four-year graduation rate in the district’s history — 96.3% for the class of 2025. The number was announced by the district and confirmed by regional news coverage including KING 5 and My Everett News in fall 2025. For parents across Everett’s neighborhoods, it is a number worth unpacking — because what that figure actually means is not just a press release, it is a story about what a school district can do when the adults in it stay focused for a long time.

The headline is simple. Over 96 out of every 100 Everett Public Schools students in the class of 2025 graduated on time with their four-year cohort. But the number behind the number is the part Everett families should pay attention to.

What the 96.3% actually represents

Washington’s Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction tracks graduation by cohort — meaning the state follows the group of ninth-graders who entered a district together and measures how many of them graduate four years later. The on-time graduation rate is the percentage of that cohort who graduate in four school years, with their original class.

That methodology matters because it is harder to game than a simple “how many diplomas did you hand out this year” count. Students who transfer out, students who take a fifth year, and students who drop out all show up in the math. When Everett Public Schools reports 96.3%, it means 96.3% of the class that started ninth grade in the 2021–22 school year graduated in June 2025 with their classmates.

For context, the Washington State Report Card publishes statewide and district-level graduation data each year. Everett Public Schools has tracked above the state average for years, and this new figure extends that trend into record territory.

Who led the district’s high schools

The district is anchored by three comprehensive high schools — Cascade High School, Everett High School, and Jackson High School — along with smaller choice and alternative programs. According to the district’s announcement, Cascade High School led the year’s gains with a 96.6% graduation rate, up from 94.6% the year before. The other high schools moved in the same direction.

District officials credited the improvement to sustained, school-by-school work rather than a single initiative. In the district’s announcement, Jeanne Willard, Everett Public Schools’ executive director of college and career readiness, framed the number as a reflection of student effort: “This record graduation rate reflects the incredible resilience and determination of our students.”

Superintendent Ian B. Saltzman attributed the result to a collaborative effort across the district — staff, counselors, families, and students — rather than any single program.

The longer arc

Context matters. Everett Public Schools’ graduation story over the last twenty-plus years has been one of the most documented turnarounds in Washington. A Seattle Times Education Lab profile from several years ago traced the district’s climb from the low-60% range in the early 2000s to well into the 90s — a turnaround that included targeted early-warning systems, attendance intervention, and a push to track individual students at risk of falling behind, rather than treating graduation as a problem to address in a student’s senior year.

What the 2025 number shows is that trajectory has not plateaued. In a decade when many districts nationally are working to recover from pandemic-era disruption, Everett has kept the number going up.

What parents in Everett’s neighborhoods should know

For parents choosing between neighborhoods, this is real information. A 96.3% district graduation rate means that across the Everett Public Schools service area — which includes most of Everett’s neighborhoods as well as parts of Mill Creek and unincorporated Snohomish County — a student enrolled in the district is, statistically, very likely to finish high school on time.

That does not mean every student at every school has the same experience. Individual school rates, AP and IB participation, college-going rates after graduation, and a student’s own engagement all matter. Parents who want the more granular picture can pull any school’s data directly from the Washington State Report Card, which breaks down graduation rates by subgroup and by year. That is the most honest tool available for looking at what a given school is actually doing, separate from district-level averages.

What’s not in the number

A graduation rate is a powerful indicator but it does not measure everything. It does not tell you what percentage of graduates are going to four-year colleges, to two-year programs, to trades or apprenticeships, or straight to the workforce. It does not tell you about school climate, counselor-to-student ratios, discipline disparities, or whether students feel known at their school.

Those data points exist — the state report card publishes most of them — and Everett Public Schools publishes its own annual reports. For families making real decisions about where to live and where to enroll, the graduation rate is a good starting point, not the whole story. It is also, right now, a very good starting point.

How Everett compares

Washington’s statewide graduation rate has hovered around 84% in recent reporting cycles. Everett’s 96.3% puts it more than 12 percentage points above that average. Nationally, the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate has been in the high-80s range in recent federal reporting. Everett is meaningfully outperforming both.

Within Snohomish County, Everett Public Schools is one of several districts that have been in the 90%+ graduation club, but the 2025 figure is the district’s own personal best.

What this means for the next few years

Districts tend to measure themselves against last year’s number. If Everett keeps that habit, the bar is now 96.3%. Holding ground at that level is as hard as getting there. District leadership has signaled that the strategy for the next several years is to keep strengthening the same early-warning and intervention systems that got the district here, rather than trying something new to chase a different metric.

For families enrolled in Everett schools now — and for parents watching neighborhood school options in places like Silver Lake, Delta, Lowell, Bayside, and Boulevard Bluffs — the practical takeaway is that the district has built something durable. That is not a guarantee for any one student. But it is a real reason to feel good about sending your kid to an Everett school.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Everett Public Schools’ graduation rate for 2025?

Everett Public Schools reported a four-year on-time graduation rate of 96.3% for the class of 2025, the highest in the district’s history.

Which Everett high school had the biggest increase?

Cascade High School led district high schools at 96.6%, up from 94.6% the year before.

How does Everett compare to Washington state’s graduation rate?

Washington’s statewide on-time graduation rate has recently been around 84%. Everett Public Schools at 96.3% is more than 12 percentage points above the state average.

Where can I see official graduation data for an individual Everett school?

The Washington State Report Card publishes graduation data for every school and district in the state, including Everett Public Schools and each of its high schools.

Who is the superintendent of Everett Public Schools?

Ian B. Saltzman is the superintendent of Everett Public Schools.

What neighborhoods does Everett Public Schools serve?

Everett Public Schools serves most Everett neighborhoods, plus parts of Mill Creek and unincorporated Snohomish County. Some southern Everett neighborhoods are served by Mukilteo School District. Families can verify school assignment via the district’s attendance boundary tools.

Does a district graduation rate mean every school is the same?

No. A district-level rate averages across all high schools. Cascade, Everett, and Jackson each have their own individual graduation rates, along with alternative and choice programs. The Washington State Report Card breaks those down school by school.