Whatcom County COVID-19 Community Helpers host food and cleaning supplies drive

The Whatcom County COVID-19 Community Helpers group is continuing to help neighbors in need across the county with an upcoming food and supplies drive Saturday, May 23.

The group will host the drive in collaboration with four Bellingham churches: Cornwall at 4518 Northwest Dr., Grace at 1815 Cornwall Ave., Hillcrest at 1400 Larrabee Ave. and Redeemer at 211 Northside Drive. Donations will be accepted at these four locations Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon.

Supplies that will be accepted include shelf-stable foods, personal hygiene products and cleaning supplies.

The donations will go to Lummi Community Services Commod Squad, Bellingham Public Schools Family Resource Center, SHAG Food Pantries, Northwest Youth Services, Miracle Food Network, Hillcrest Food Pantry and Lynden Community Food Pantry.

The drop-offs will be in drive-thru fashion, with Whatcom County Community Helper volunteers available to receive the donations. In exchange, the group will distribute handmade masks from the Whatcom Mask Collective.

All donations will be accepted, however, food banks have requested that items that are donated can be put together as full meals.

“While all of the items on this list are needed, food bank recipients have mentioned that they appreciate it when they receive products that help them put together a full meal,” the group’s website noted.

The helper group was founded on Facebook by Sandi Heinrich back in March to help others during the COVID-19 pandemic. The group later established a hotline to directly help those in need around Whatcom County at 360-778-2762.