Saying ‘we’re already full,’ Lighthouse to open this homeless winter shelter in Bellingham
Lighthouse Mission Ministries will open more shelter space for men who are homeless during cold winter weather, the organization announced Wednesday, Oct. 21.
The overflow shelter, as it’s called, will be at its former Drop-In Center, 1013 W. Holly St. in Bellingham.
It will accommodate up to 39 men and is expected to open from December through February, according to a release from the faith-based organization. Christ the King Community Church in Bellingham will be a partner in the effort.
Volunteers and local churches will provide much of the staffing, but whether it’s open for a full 13 weeks depends on how many participate, Lighthouse Mission said.
“However, if that is not feasible, we will be strategic about which weeks to schedule the overflow shelter to ensure it is open during the most-needed nights,” Hans Erchinger-Davis, executive director of Lighthouse Mission Ministries, said in the release.
Organizers will decide every Wednesday whether to operate the following week, using number trends, the weather forecast and the time of the month.
Lighthouse Mission will continue to operate Base Camp, an emergency shelter for up to 200 adults who are homeless that opened at 1530 Cornwall Ave. in July. It also provides meals, bathrooms, showers, laundry services, drinking water, food, garbage and recycling containers, voluntary prayer and Bible studies, as well as social services to those staying there. The site is partially fenced.
Lighthouse Mission operated the Drop-In Center as an emergency homeless shelter before temporarily moving the shelter into a larger space at Bellingham High School in late March to meet social distancing requirements during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
There is no religious requirement for people to receive services, according to the organization.
The additional shelter space is needed because demand for emergency shelter has increased around 20% in the last six months, according to Erchinger-Davis.
“Our people are survivors. There’s more space so we’re getting more folks who were sleeping in cars, staying in camps, and those new to homelessness,” he said in the release. “Problem is we’re already full and I want no one turned away this winter due to capacity constraints.”
Check-in will be at Base Camp. Christ the King will handle transportation to the overflow shelter, volunteer coordination and staffing support overnight.
“We believe in what Lighthouse Mission is doing and are committed to doing what it takes to make sure that no one seeking shelter has to be turned away for lack of space,” said Wendy Powell, community outreach pastor at Christ the King in Bellingham, which hosted a severe weather shelter for the homeless last winter.
