The Airow Project – The AIROW Project, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization, creates community based outdoor

recreational activities for those with disabilities and special needs. Many with physical and mental disabilities are unable to experience recreational activities. For example, a veteran missing leg is unable to ride a normal bike; or an Autistic youth needs to be safely guided on a bike. Adaptive gear is available, but most families can not afford them. AIROW creates opportunities

for all to have access. The AIROW project has partner with Outdoors for ALL to bring adaptive bikes for all in Bellingham. Each event is about $1,000 dollars to rent the bikes. We are looking for donations to help us bring these events to our areas and keep them free to participants. The geographic area which we serve (Whatcom County, Washington) is in need of adaptive and inclusive recreational opportunities. While we are actively creating free Adaptive winter sport, MTB, and cycling events, we need your help to serve more individuals with special needs.

Assistance League of Bellingham – Assistance League volunteers transforming the lives of children and adults through community programs.

Assumption Catholic School – Assumption School provides a quality faith based education for all students wishing to enroll in Whatcom County. We have a very diverse student body and welcome all in the community.

BAAY – Founded in 2006, Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts education organization that offers quality instruction in theater, choir, dance, music, and visual arts to youth ages 5-17. The mission of BAAY is to enrich children’s lives through the exploration of the arts. BAAY serves approximately 1400 children annually in our campus theatre, and in EduArts after-school enrichment classes in elementary schools throughout Whatcom County. Through our programs, we create community, and teach children confidence, character and creativity. BAAY is committed to serving all children in our community. We believe that the arts are a basic and essential component of all children’s education. We never turn a child away for financial reasons, and in the last three years we’ve provided an average of over $30,000 a year in annual scholarship assistance to remove financial barriers to participation. As we grow, we are expanding our EduArts school-based programs to include fully subsidized after-school classes in Bellingham’s Title One schools, bringing the arts into the schools to reach children who need them.

Bellingham Community Band – The mission of the non-profit organization titled Bellingham Community Band is to provide a forum for community members to play and perform music, promote, protect and enhance the performing arts in the public schools of Whatcom County as well as the community at large. The corporation may conduct any lawful business to achieve these goals. We have awarded a high school senior music student a scholarship every year.

Blue Skies for Children – Blue Skies for Children serves all of Whatcom County with focus on serving homeless, low-income and foster youth ages 6 to 18. Blue Skies provides basic essentials such as warm coats, gloves, scarves, blankets, backpacks, shoes and socks. In addition, for foster youth we also provide clothing, pajamas, gift cards and toys for birthday and holidays. Blue Skies offers a Little Wishes program helping youth with school trips, summer camps, graduation fees, and sports fees. Our Enrichment Program provides ongoing support for extra-curricular activities such as music lessons, art lessons, dance, swim lesson, karate/TKD, sports fees, and more. We loan musical instruments so that our youth can participate in school band or orchestra without the rental cost of an instrument. Our Driver’s Education Scholarship offers youth ages 15 to 17 to participate in a drivers education course to ensure safe drivers for us all.

Brigadoon Service Dogs – Our Mission is to provide service dogs for Veterans, Children and Adults with physical, developmental, and behavioral health disabilities, to promote a more independent and enriched life. We change lives one partnership at a time by “Offering a Helping Paw“!

Brigid Collins Family Support Center – Brigid Collins mission is to end child abuse by building strong families and protecting

children. For 31 years our organization has lead Whatcom County in prevention, education and response to child abuse and neglect.. Our strategic vision includes parenting support, case management, trauma-informed therapy and community education. Included in our work is our nationally recognized Children’s Advocacy Center, where children who have disclosed abuse begin their healing and the road to justice.. We are part of a multidisciplinary team that includes community partners in the law, child protective services and medical community. In 2019 we served over 2300 families in both Whatcom and Skagit counties and trained over 1000 adults to recognize, respond and prevent child abuse. Thank you for considering our organization.

D.I.S.H. Foundation – To employ persons with intellectual & developmental disabilities (IDD) by providing an opportunity for employees to have a stable and fulfilling job that not only teaches the skills they can use in the workforce, but provide dignity, independence, a sense of purpose, and hope (D.I.S.H.).

Gardenview Montessori School – The mission of Gardenview Montessori is to evoke children’s love of learning using a Montessori curriculum to serve the needs of the whole child. Our mission is to provide an environment that will enable children and adults to realize and express their innate goodness, their joy in learning and their responsibility as caring, peaceful, global citizens. We believe children should be offered respect and encouragement to explore, to question, to repeat, and to perfect their skills. The carefully created and beautifully maintained environment promotes freedom of movement and a developing sense of order.

Generations Early Learning & Family Center – Generations is a unique early childhood education program within a residential care facility, which strives to benefit the residents, children, families, and staff members through mutual interactions and continuing relationships.

Immigrant Resources & Immediate Support Center – Our mission is twofold: to connect immigrants with existing resources in the community, and to provide immediate assistance to those experiencing a temporary period of crisis. The direct support provided by IRIS includes rent subsidies, emergency housing, groceries, beds, clothing, and financial assistance with medical and utility bills. We serve immigrant families in or local communities who are in a temporary state of crisis. We provide critical bridge assistance to support these families on their path to stability. Compelled by global forces of migration, these families are struggling to overcome the confines of extreme poverty, discrimination, and the debilitating impact of trauma.

Meadows Montessori School – An Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Associated and Recognized school, Meadows Montessori School supports children and families in realizing their full potential through an authentic Montessori education. Currently serving children ages 2.9 through 12 years of age, our school houses two Children’s House classrooms, one Lower Elementary Classroom, and one Upper Elementary classroom. Our vision is a Montessori opportunity for every family.

Meals on Wheels and More – Meals on Wheel and More provides meals for Whatcom and San Juan County residents who are over the age of 60 and homebound or have a qualifying disability. They also provide take out meals for seniors who are able to pick up weekly during the Covid-19 pandemic. Seniors are eligible for 7 meals per week. Prior to the pandemic congregate meals were provided at Senior Centers throughout Whatcom and San Juan County. Since the beginning of the pandemic the program has grown by 55% to assist those over 60 who are unable to access food and are socially distancing. Meals on Wheels is proud to serve the Whatcom and Skagit community of seniors during these trying times.

NAMI Whatcom – National Alliance on Mental Illness is the national grass-roots entity dedicated to the education & support of persons & families coping with mental illness. NAMI Whatcom is the local branch.

Northwest Youth Services – Northwest Youth Services is a non-profit organization serving young people ages 13-24 experiencing homelessness in Whatcom, Island, and Skagit Counties. ​We support youth in identifying goals and building the skills necessary to reach their own sense of stability. ​Northwest Youth Services offers housing, street outreach, help finding a job or enrolling in school, connection to mental health services, support for LGBTQ youth, restorative justice for juvenile offenders, and referrals to other services in the community.

Our Treehouse – Our TreeHouse serves as a loving, healing community for children, youth, and families to grieve. Through peer support groups, provision of school-based support, and referrals to other community resources, we strive to ensure that grief has a place.

Ragfinery – Ragfinery diverts unwanted textiles from the waste stream and upcycle them in a training business that provides transitional jobs for low income clients of our partner social service agencies and schools.

Skookum Kids – Provides a safe and comfortable place, Skookum House, for children who have been removed from their

homes. Provide interim care prior to foster placement including clothing to take with them. They also help foster families navigate the licensing process and train them, facilitate placement and support.

SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention – SPARK Museum offers high quality, accessible science experiences to our community. Through a world class collection of historical artifacts, inspiring and dynamic demonstrations, and school and public programs, they reach thousands of students and adults every year. They strive to present science as a creative powerful process to make positive change in our world by highlighting the change makers and their inventions in history.

Teach one to Lead One – Teach One to Lead One is a community mentoring program that teaches universal principles (aka life skills) examples such as integrity, respect, and compassion to lead at risk youth to a life of purpose and potential. We offer this to the public school, juvenile courts, and foster care systems. *Please note we have pivoted to a digital engagement model to continue reaching this generation during Covid 19 shut down.

The Jazz Project – The Jazz Project is a jazz presenting and support service dedicated to increasing performance opportunities for local, regional, national and international jazz musicians. The Project promotes community development and fosters awareness of and appreciation for jazz by making performance, education, and other jazz services accessible to those of all ages and backgrounds.

The Stocking Project – The Stocking Project is unlike anything I have been involved with. The year 2020, even with its challenges, was the 7th year the Project has been underway.  This ingenious charity has developed a good cause with nice tradition and much local involvement and cheer and happiness.  Stuffed stockings, homemade.  What is more wonderful?

Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 165 – Veterans helping veterans.

WeSnip – Mission: Making spay and neuter services for cats and dogs accessible and affordable to the underserved community. We also help educate the community about spay, neuter and prevention. Vision: WeSNiP provides high-quality spay and neuter services to low-income pet owners. Since opening in 2008, WeSNiP altered over 23,000 cats and dogs. WeSNiP has also trapped, neutered and returned over 2,700 free-roaming cats. By providing these services to the community we have helped reduce pet overpopulation. Local animal shelter statistics show a reduction in euthanasia of cat and dogs in the community. Our program has continued to help these numbers decrease each year.

Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center – The vision of the WDRC is for Whatcom County to be a community in which people approach conflict in creative and healthy ways. The WDRC offers conflict prevention and intervention services for businesses, organizations, individuals, and families. On a prevention level, the WDRC seeks to build the capacity of community members to better manage conflict as it arises, and to learn ways to minimize the possibility of it occurring. To this end, the WDRC offers training for adults and youth, all in an effort to build skills and reduce unproductive conflict.

Whatcom Humane Society – The Whatcom Humane Society advocates for animals, educates the community to promote humane treatment and respect for animals, and provides for abandoned, injured, abused or neglected animals.

Whatcom Land Trust – Whatcom Land Trust preserves and protects wildlife habitat, scenic, agricultural and open space lands in Whatcom County for future generations by securing interests in land and promoting land stewardship.

Whatcom Working Waterfront Foundation – Formed in Dec. 2019, the Foundation is working hard to support maritime workforce development projects: specifically, to develop and implement a registered apprenticeship program serving the important marine trades sector of Whatcom County’s economy to insure its sustainability. 7% of total county jobs are within the maritime sector. We are collaborating with local companies, state apprenticeship councils, technical colleges, Port of Bellingham, WA State Department of Commerce and more to launch this groundbreaking program. The Foundation also offers scholarship in marine trades at Bellingham Technical College. Finally, we are actively engaged as an anchor organization in the development of the Maritime Washington – National Heritage Area, a newly designated area that will provide significant educational and tourism opportunities for Whatcom County and others bordering the Salish Sea.

Whatcom-Skagit Housing – Since 1976,Whatcom-Skagit Housing has helped limited income families build over 600 homes! This is a great opportunity for families who are working but wages are not enough to buy a home. No construction experience is needed but hard work and sweat equity is! Groups of 8-10 build each other’s homes over the course of a year. We help applicants apply for a loan, provide building lots, house plans, technical assistance, construction loan management and guidance along the way. Whatcom-Skagit Housing is a non-profit USDA Rural Development Self Help Housing Program and an Equal Housing Opportunity program.

Wild Bird Charity – The primary purpose of Wild Bird Charity is to address poverty issues in Whatcom County and to do it in a manner that addresses gaps in services in the county. Wild Bird’s main program is their Weekend Food Bag Program.They make sure that children who received free or subsidized school meals Monday through Friday, do not go hungry on the weekends. Last year this tiny nonprofit with a single part-time staff member provided over 123,780 meals to school age children who are experiencing food insecurity on the weekends. Each food bag is packed by volunteers, and contains 2 healthy breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners and snacks. Meals are dropped off at the school, where school staff vet and distribute to the children in need.