YWCA Bellingham is expanding sheltering options in Whatcom County with a new building purchase to serve women and children.
The future facility, located at 315 Lakeway Drive, is expected to open in February or March 2025. The shelter will provide 20 units for women and their children ages 0-5 and will also serve pregnant women, before and after they give birth. All guests will be offered intensive case management and “empowerment” programs, according to a YWCA news release.
YWCA expects to finalize the building’s purchase this month and then convert it into shelter space in the next few months. The building previously housed a ketamine therapy clinic through King Health Associates, now Emerge Clinic, which closed in May.
According to August housing pool data, 130 homeless women with children in the county could qualify to stay at the shelter. Any extra spots in the shelter will go to women over 55, with priority given to those 62 and older. Communications Specialist Marie Duckworth at Whatcom County’s health department said 59 single women aged 55 or older are in the August housing pool.
“Local data show that there is a great need for housing and shelter services that meet the unique needs of women and young children,” said Alle Schene, chief executive officer of YWCA Bellingham in the release. “We are grateful to be able to provide some much-needed support in our community to those who are particularly vulnerable.”
Whatcom County Council approved the contribution of $1 million to the project at its Tuesday, Sept. 10 meeting, from funds dedicated to housing and housing-related services. The City of Bellingham contributed another $1.39 million, with funding coming from a HUD Community Development Block Grant and local Affordable Housing Sales Tax, Communications Manager Ryan Key-Wynne said in an email. The county also plans to provide ongoing operational support, according to the release.
YWCA Bellingham already runs two shelters and 27 units of permanent supportive housing at its building at 1026 N. Forest St., and a six-unit, 11-bed permanent supportive housing program in an apartment building on Garden Street.
Schene told CDN that this is an “exciting point of growth” for YWCA in expanding the population they serve, in particular, for pregnant women. At the YWCA’s existing shelters, pregnant women receiving services can’t stay there once their baby is born.
“Imagine the stress … when you welcome a new child into the world and you lose your housing on the same day,” Schene said. The new shelter will be able to serve pregnant women before and after they give birth.
Schene said the YWCA is “honored and excited” to be able to increase shelter spots in the county, and provide wraparound services for residents. The case management services are individualized for the person, and “trauma-informed,” Schene said, “to be able to help that person individually thrive and land in permanent housing and help end the cycle of homelessness.”
This announcement comes as the county executive works to respond to a vast range of research requests and action from the Whatcom County Council in the pursuit of expanding year-round shelter capacity.
Along with preparing plans for severe weather sheltering this fall, county council asked Executive Satpal Sidhu to look into potential shelter options, including a county-run shelter, tiny homes, pallet shelters and more; conduct an evaluation of the county’s Coordinated Entry System; provide a road map for how to achieve functional zero homelessness in 10 years; and create a training and employment program for homeless people.
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
