Local nonprofits launch 2026 Extend-A-Hand campaign to help neighbors in need

Donations to the Extend-A-Hand campaign, now in its fifth decade, allow local organizations to make big differences in small ways for Whatcom County residents who need immediate help with housing and health care all year long.

Unity Care NW uses Extend-A-Hand funds for prescription costs, vaccinations and other health-related items, while Opportunity Council, which administers the fund, helps families avoid eviction.

Bellingham Herald readers have contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars in support of the campaign over the years. The need continues to be great as inflation and other increasing costs have hit these organizations’ clients especially hard.

“Extend-A-Hand is critical for us to help families with what they need most, whether that’s move-in assistance, diapers, or transportation,” said Katie Rose, Opportunity Council’s director of community engagement. “This funding ensures the most immediate needs of families in our programs are met.”

The Herald, which has raised funds during the holidays for more than four decades, covers administrative costs up to $50,000 in donations, so gifts directly support people. Donations are tax-deductible, and donors through Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, will be recognized in The Herald. You can mail donation checks to Extend-a-Hand, c/o Opportunity Council, P.O. Box 2134, Bellingham, WA 98227.

We welcome donations from individuals, families, clubs and businesses. Donations are also accepted online via credit card or PayPal at www.oppco.org/extend-a-hand, or by credit card using the form or QR code that accompanies this article, or by contacting Katie Rose at 360-734-5121, ext. 1332, or by email at info@oppco.org.

Here’s what gifts support

Extend-A-Hand donations were used in the past to help the Opportunity Council make sure more than 200 households had roofs over their heads.

The households included:

• A local teenage girl often found herself trying to get ready for school sitting in a parking lot, surrounded by her family’s belongings. While living in a van with her parents and brothers, a spot on the asphalt was often the only place she could go to put herself together. Looking put together was key — her brothers had already started skipping class, embarrassed about the clothes it seemed impossible to keep clean. Thanks to Extend-A-Hand, the kids had gas money and bus passes to get to school, but they needed a home fast. Extend-A-Hand covered apartment application fees, helping the family secure a stable home. Once moved in, they were thrilled — the daughter had her own room with a makeup mirror and desk, and her brothers returned to school, clean and confident.
• A mother and baby suddenly found themselves without a home and had to seek emergency shelter. When the shelter became dangerous, she knew she had to leave for her child’s safety. She had never felt so alone as when she stepped into the street with her infant in her arms. Because of Extend-A-Hand and Opportunity Council, she and her child had somewhere safe to stay while she searched for a new permanent home. She soon found a place for them after applying from the safety of a hotel room. When the move-in date was postponed, the program still had her back and covered the cost of the extra hotel nights. Finally settled into their new home, Mom celebrated her baby’s first birthday with a tiny smash cake — a perfect, joyful moment after a harrowing and exhausting time.

Already in 2025, Unity Care NW has used $33,490 to fill 2,416 prescriptions for 926 uninsured or underinsured patients.

“This includes helping cover high patient co-pays that can be $100 or more or for prescription medication that insurance may not cover for things like blood pressure, mental health or dental care,” Rose said.

This story was originally published November 27, 2025 at 5:20 AM.