BELLINGHAM — Lighthouse Mission Ministries plans to build a larger, $1.5 million shelter for homeless women and children beginning this fall.
The proposed 25-room shelter will be at 1215 F St., across from its other shelter, Lighthouse Mission.
A space larger than the existing six-room Agape Home for Women & Children on Yew Street Road is needed, according to Ron Buchinski, executive director of Lighthouse Mission Ministries.
“We’re turning away people almost every day,” Buchinski said.
The organization received its permit to build at the end of April and is trying to raise the additional $800,000 needed for the project. Buchinski hopes to break ground in September and finish construction roughly eight months later.
The Agape Home likely will be sold, Buchinski said.
About $700,000 already has been raised, including a $100,000 anonymous pledge and $25,000 from the Bellingham Central Lions Club. The remainder will be raised locally through private gifts and grants, said Buchinski, who isn’t deterred from trying to find money by a flagging economy.
“When is it easy? It’ll be tougher, but the need is very, very great,” he said.
A larger Agape Home will allow the organization to serve as many as 76 more women and children than the current 16.
Jolynn Stoumbaugh knows about that need.
Nearly two years ago, she and her three young children
found shelter at the Agape Home. The family had fled California because Stoumbaugh wanted distance from her ex-husband, who was the father of two of the children.
“I was fighting to keep my kids safe and healthy. I had custody of my kids but as far as me and him, it was a lot of fighting and arguing. It wasn’t safe. It wasn’t OK for them or for me anymore.”
She had packed their belongings in the car and intended to enter Canada, where her fiance lived. The authorities denied her entry.
She and her fiance called around, found Agape and explained her situation. Agape housed the family for six months until Stoumbaugh could get back on her feet.
Her ex-husband tracked them to the shelter and knocked on the door, she said.
Buchinski said moving Agape closer to the Lighthouse Mission would provide for greater security in the future.
“One benefit of moving here is that at the present Agape, there is no male staff presence, and it is so isolated if an abuser comes to stalk or threaten,” he said. “The new shelter will be plugged into our in-house security system and have physical support almost immediately.”
More than a year later, Stoumbaugh remained thankful for the help she received.
“It was nice to have the support; the couple of ladies on the staff are really supportive and tried to make it feel like home. It was a stable place for me to build myself back up,” she said. “I’m very grateful.”