GoFundMe page set up to help homeless family of 8 secure housing in Bellingham
A homeless family of eight living in their car in Bellingham is getting support from the community after sharing their story.
Local community member Merrily Lochtefeld set up a GoFundMe page on Wednesday, Aug. 9, to help the family purchase basic necessities and save money for rent after reading the family’s story in The Bellingham Herald.
The financial goal of the fundraiser is $10,000.
“The first thing I noticed seeing pictures of this family are the hopeful smiles on their faces. They have faith that things will turn around and they are willing to work hard to get there. But they need some help!” Lochtefeld wrote in the GoFundMe description.
The family, whose last name was omitted in the story due to privacy concerns, became homeless after getting hit with unexpected medical bills and losing their home in Florida. They moved to Bellingham for job opportunities and to be closer to friends.
But due to the high cost of living here, it has not been possible for the family to save money for housing.
David, the father, works full-time at a local tattoo shop and delivers food for DoorDash when he’s off work to make extra money. Cassandra, the mother, is unable to work while she takes care of the six children, ranging in age from 5 months to 12 years old.
The money David earns is used to afford things like gas, food and diapers on a daily basis. The family has connected with Opportunity Council, the Bellingham Housing Authority and Unity Care for housing services and other resources.
“We will do whatever it takes to come up again. I don’t want to be in a car with six children because I don’t want them to know what this life is,” Cassandra said in an interview with The Herald. “We’re trying to move on but it’s hard.”
The number of homeless families with children is rising quickly in Whatcom County as housing prices also continue to climb.
As of August 2023, the average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Bellingham, WA is $1,475, according to data from Zumper. That’s up $25 from last month and is a 14% increase compared to the previous year.
From 2021 to 2023, the number of homeless families counted in the annual Point-In-Time Counts averaged 88 households. Juveniles accounted for 15% of all unhoused individuals identified in 2023 and the youngest person counted was an infant less than a year old.
This story was originally published August 11, 2023 at 7:03 AM.
