Happy 2026 neighbors, Like many of you, we’ve hit the ground running this year. Once again: disastrous flooding. And once again: an incredible show of generosity, cooperation and neighborliness in the wake of it. Close to $1.4M raised and much of it put to work immediately on neighbors’ most urgent needs. So heartening! And so hard not to ask, what can we do today, this month, this year,...
Hi neighbors, After a record return of Chinook salmon in Whatcom Creek last month, we find ourselves reflecting on a season full of both challenge and renewal. While the federal shutdown has tested systems and stretched communities, Whatcom Creek offered a quiet triumph; the work of salmon recovery seems to be paying off. It's a reminder that steady...
Are you ready to make a real difference in your community? The Youth Philanthropy Project invites high school students from across Whatcom County to step into the role of community changemaker. As part of this leadership program, you’ll learn how philanthropy works from the inside—exploring local issues, reviewing grant proposals, and deciding how to invest...
Hi neighbors, Although life is always uncertain, these days it is especially so. Which makes our spring THRIVE topic even more relevant, if not easier to discuss. While family violence is a serious and distressing topic most people would rather avoid, the best chance of vanquishing it begins with frank conversation and a commitment to individual...
The Whatcom Community Foundation Youth Philanthropy Program (YPP) was created for students to engage in experiential based learning opportunities that foster leadership, technical and critical thinking skills. YPP connects youth to the community through charitable giving. This year the team will focus on learning about youth homelessness and youth mental health challenges that often exacerbate youth...
Earlier this year, the Whatcom Community Foundation partnered with the City of Bellingham to learn together about the needs and challenges of our local small and mid-sized housing and shelter providers. The findings were compiled in the a report in September 2023: Capacity Building for small and mid-sized housing and shelter providers: Needs, priorities, and...
Hello Community Builders! How is it almost Memorial Day already? Time flies when you're breaking ground on our county's first community benefit project! More on that in a later issue. For now it's neighbor time: backyard BBQs, front porch visiting, summer concerts, farmers markets and all the other ways we get outside and get to know the...
Hi Neighbors - We’re focusing this and the next two issues of THRIVE on economic opportunity in Whatcom County. With such a big topic, it’s good to start at the beginning — so let’s talk about babies! After that, we’ll look at the many benefits of employee ownership and then conclude with the Millworks, a community...
The Whatcom Community Foundation Youth Philanthropy Program (YPP) has been created for students to engage in knowledge and experiential based learning opportunities that foster leadership, technical and critical thinking skills. YPP connects youth to the community through charitable giving in relation to local, environmental needs. Students will focus their time and effort on powerful impact...
Friends - As part of Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, we’re spotlighting the state of youth mental health in Whatcom County. Tragically, as many of you have seen in the news, a young person in our community died by suicide earlier this week. So here we are, living the statistics outlined below. We wrestled with whether...
