Some of the best partnerships don’t start in a boardroom. They start over a plate of really good food.
That’s how we first connected with Navi’s Catering Kitchen, the Lynnwood-based catering team known for their Island Fusion flavors and their genuine warmth. We met General Manager Michelle Nye at a Mill Creek Chamber of Commerce event they were catering — and it took about one bite to understand why they’ve built such a loyal following across Snohomish County.
But what impressed us even more than the food was what came next.
Partners Who Show Up
Since that first meeting, Navi’s Catering Kitchen has become a steady, generous partner to Everett Gospel Mission. They regularly share food donations with our kitchen — and they do it the right way, coordinating directly with our kitchen team to time deliveries when they’re most helpful. That kind of thoughtfulness matters. It’s the difference between giving *at* someone and giving *with* them.
Every donated tray means our kitchen can stretch further, serve more, and offer our guests meals made with real care. When a professional kitchen shares its best with our neighbors experiencing homelessness, it sends a quiet but powerful message: you’re worth a good meal, well made.
This week, at a combined Chamber event bringing together the Mill Creek, Bothell, and Woodinville business communities, I had the chance to reconnect with Michelle and to thank Navi personally. It was a full-circle moment — the same kind of gathering where this partnership began, now a chance to celebrate how far it’s come.
Why We Keep Showing Up at Chamber Events
That’s not an accident. Over the past year, Everett Gospel Mission has been intentional about building relationships through the Chambers of Commerce across our region — Everett, Mill Creek, Bothell, Woodinville, and beyond.
Here’s why: the work of ending homelessness in Snohomish County isn’t something a mission can do alone. It takes a whole community — and the business community in particular brings something unique to the table. Local businesses know their neighborhoods. They employ our neighbors. And, as Navi’s Catering Kitchen proves, they often have resources, skills, and generosity that fit our needs in ways no one could have planned.
Every Chamber breakfast and mixer is a chance to meet the next Michelle — the next partner who’s been looking for a meaningful way to give back and just needed the connection.
More to Come
We’re so committed to this kind of community and corporate engagement that we’re investing in it. This September, EGM will welcome a new Director of Community Partnerships — a dedicated leader whose whole role will be building and deepening relationships like this one, with businesses, churches, and civic groups across our county. We can’t wait to introduce them to you.
In the meantime: if your business has been wondering how to get involved — whether that’s food, volunteering, sponsorship, or something we haven’t thought of yet — we’d love to talk. Sometimes the best partnerships start with a simple conversation at a Chamber event. Or a really good plate of food.
Thank you, Navi, Michelle, and the whole Navi’s Catering Kitchen team.
You’ve given our guests more than meals — you’ve given them a seat at the table.
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Planning an event? Check out Navi’s Catering Kitchen at naviscateringkitchen.com — and tell them EGM sent you.
