Winter Shelters for Individuals and Families Experiencing Homelessness 

On Nov. 6, the Whatcom County Council approved a lease with Lutheran Community Services to host a severe weather shelter at 925 N. Forest Street in Bellingham. Health and Community Services staff are busy setting up the space, hiring and training staff, and coordinating logistics for things like port-a-potties, laundry, and food. 

Once the site is ready for activation, coordinators will: 

• Monitor the forecasted temperature and announce opening information 48 hours in advance when possible. 
• Plan to keep it open multiple nights to provide respite to guests regardless of forecasted low temperatures on those additional nights. 
• Use the Severe Weather Shelter Guiding Assumptions and Values Statement as a reference point. 

Adequate staffing for safe operations and compliance with legal codes and regulations will be significant deciding factors in how many nights in a row the facility can remain open. 

What guests can expect

• Open from 4 pm to 9 am. 
• Check-in from 4 pm to 9 pm.
• Lights out from 10pm-6am
• Space is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The space can hold approximately 70 people.  
• Limited storage space for personal belongings. 
• Service, emotional support, and therapy animals are welcome. Staff may ask guests to have their animals remain in crates, especially if they are disruptive. 
• The Severe Weather Shelter is on WTA Route 1, on North Forest Street just before the intersection of N. Forest and Laurel St.  
• There is free parking on North Forest Street.  

We will post additional information and updates here when available.

We are hiring On-Call Shelter Assistants to staff our severe weather shelter in Bellingham this winter. Shelter Assistants will provide front-line services to guests. This position requires staff to remain awake and available as a resource to guests throughout the night. Shifts are available on-call from November to mid-March, with paid training provided. If you want to make a difference in your community, apply now to be part of our team!

Volunteer information is coming soon!

The Bellingham Severe Weather Shelter accepts food and clothing donations. Please complete our Food/Clothing Donations form to indicate your interest in donating food and/or warm clothing. 

Warm Adult Clothing (All Sizes) Donations

We can accept coats, hats, shoes, scarves, shirts, socks and pants. Although we will accept all sizes, medium or larger sizes are better for layering. After you have completed the form, we will contact you to confirm whether we can accept your items and schedule a drop-off date and time.

Food Donations

Completing this form adds you to a list of potential food donors. We open the shelter based on set criteria. Once we decide to open, we will contact all relevant food donors 48 hours in advance to see who can provide services during activation. For shelf-stable foods, we will contact you to coordinate drop-off. Please note:

• We request 70+ servings per donation to ensure all guests have access to a serving.
• You must prepare all cooked food in a professional kitchen. Staff involved in the preparation must have up-to-date food handler permits.
• You must be available to deliver food to the shelter.
• We cannot accept raw or undercooked meat products.
• We cannot accept home-cooked items except baked goods such as bread, loaves, cookies, pastries, cake and buns.
• Pre-packaged single-serving items like canned soup, chips, nuts, fruit cups, and pudding are welcome.

Donation Questions or Concerns

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at [email protected].