YWCA Bellingham Purchases Building to Serve as Shelter for Women and Children
The shelter, which will be located on Lakeway Drive, is on track to begin operations early 2025.
Bellingham, WA, September 11, 2024 – On September 10th , Whatcom County Council approved $1 million in funding to support the YWCA Bellingham’s purchase of 315 Lakeway Drive for conversion to a shelter for women and children. YWCA Bellingham is proud to partner with the Whatcom County Health and Community Services Department and the City of Bellingham on the acquisition of this building. The city has also committed $1.39 million toward the purchase. This new shelter will help fill a significant gap in services. August Whatcom County housing pool data indicate that around 130 unhoused single women with children would potentially qualify to stay at the new facility.
“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. “We are grateful to be able to provide some much-needed support in our community to those who are particularly vulnerable.”
The new building will offer 20 shelter units serving 20 women with their accompanying children under age five. This will also include pregnant women. Many shelters serving individuals do not allow guests to stay after the birth of their child. This shelter will offer a solution that supports pregnant people with wrap around services before and after the birth of their child. YWCA will also offer intensive case management services and empowerment programming to the guests.
With an overall focus to help residents successfully obtain permanent housing, YWCA Case Managers provide emotional support and help residents develop plans and goals, improve life skills, address physical and behavioral health needs, manage interpersonal relationships, and access community resources. The YWCA is ideal for homeless and chronically homeless single women and those with children to heal from past traumas and develop the skills needed to obtain and succeed in permanent housing.
Bellingham Central Lions Club is a proud partner of this project, assisting with predevelopment and helping prepare the building to be ready for operations, as they’ve done with other YWCA projects in the past.
YWCA Bellingham has been offering housing and case management services to vulnerable populations in our community for over 100 years. In the historic building on Forest Street, there are two shelters and 27 units of permanent supportive housing. In 2023, they acquired an apartment building to further expand their housing programs.
How can you help? Contact the YWCA Bellingham today at office@ywcabellingham.org. We’d love to hear from you!
Media Contacts
Alle Schene, YWCA Chief Executive Officer
alle@ywcabellingham.org
Whatcom County Health and Community Services
Marie Duckworth, Communications Specialist
City of Bellingham Planning and Community Development Department
Ryan Key-Wynne, Communications Manager
rwkeywynne@cob.org