Contributions to this year’s Extend-A-Hand campaign topped $40K for local help

The Bellingham Herald partners with Unity Care NW and Opportunity Council each winter to conduct the Extend-A-Hand fundraising drive, now in its fifth decade.

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. Through Thursday, Jan. 15, donors had contributed $41,050 to this year’s campaign.

Past donations have helped families like this:

A grandmother and her teenage granddaughter sank into the hotel armchairs, comforted by the warmth after the past few nights they had spent sleeping in their car. Extend-A-Hand was there for them, covering their hotel stay so the teen could focus on finishing her last semester of high school while Grandma searched for a more permanent home.

Graduation day arrived with joy and relief. Tassels were turned — despite the odds, the teen had earned her diploma and was ready to move on to college. Soon after, she got her college dorm assignment, and her Grandma got accepted for a cozy apartment nearby.

As they closed the hotel room door for the last time, the granddaughter leaned in for the kind of hug only a grandma can give — long, steady, and full of love — and they stepped into their next chapter.

This year’s donors

This year’s donors include:

Susan Albert; G & B Anderson; Jeanette Beck; The MacGregor Family and Juldi Berick; Bomstad Heck Family Fund; Ed Brinson; Jeff and Laurie Brown; Barbara Campbell; Dick and Karlene Cathell; Suzann Christie; Ray and Lynda Colliver; Linda Conroy; Judy Coons; Laura Creekman; Linda Ann Cundiff; Bill and Kathy Denney; Carol and Tom Derleth; Martha Dyck; Jim and Kathleen Feagles; Varya Grace Fish; Bob Garbe; Quentin and Judith Gates; Jim and Lynne Glenovich; Kim and Kevin Goertz; William and Susan Green; Catherine Hagen, in memory of Lee Hagen; Esther Harris, in memory Of George Hunsby; Joan Hawley; The Bellingham Herald newsroom; Scott and L Amoret Heise; Mark and Joan Hottinger; Nick and Donna Jerns; Tom and Colleen Jerns; Rob Johansen, in memory of Susan C. Johansen; Paula Johnson; Roy and Vickie Jones; Dolores Karlstrom; Betty Kellow; Anne Kohler; Shelley Korstad; J. A. Lancaster; Rosalee MacDonald in memory of Dr. Mac; The MacGregor Family and Judi Berick; Maple Leaf Chapter, Order of Eastern Star; Bev Mar; Michael and Kerry Messer; In memory of Dana Gustafson; Cynthia Mitchell; P.A. and R.L. Muehlhausen; George Mustoe; Bob and Lois Nicholl; Janet Ott; Cheryl Peach; Bonnie Pendleton; Bruce Radtke; Rochelle and Carl Ratcliff; Sue Oiness Richardson, in loving memory of my parents, Melvin and Idris Oiness; Bill and Penny Roberts; Marguerite and Ken Ryan, in memory of Rose and Joe Formichella; Shirley Family; JoAn Siden, in memory of John and Nina Sternhagen; Karen Sloss; Brian and Dana Smith; Solo Electric Services; Sons Of Norway Wergeland Lodge #21; Jack and Sandie Starr; Bev and Jim Sturek; Terry and Joeen Daughters; The Hawkes Family Trust; Wynne Toba; Dennis Tso; Jeanne Uhles; Nick Vitaljic; John and Gail Wasilewski; Carl and Carol Weimer; John and Kathy Whitmer; Jon Wilkerson, in memory of Daniel Wilkerson; Sylvia Williams, in memory of Penny Bradley; Samantha Zee; Cheryl Zimmerman.

How to help

We hope you’ll consider also giving to Extend-A-Hand to help local organizations make big differences in small ways for Whatcom County residents who need immediate help with housing and health care all year long.

The Herald covers administrative costs up to $50,000 in donations, so gifts directly support people assisted at Unity Care NW and the Opportunity Council. Donations are tax-deductible, and campaign donors 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.

▪ Donations are also accepted online via credit card or PayPal or by credit card at www.oppco.org/extend-a-hand, or by calling Katie Rose at 360-734-5121, ext. 1332.

This story was originally published January 17, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Contributions to this year’s Extend-A-Hand campaign topped $40K for local help."