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With the onset of snow, we get a chance take a step back and witness the joy our family's faces as the dream of playing in the snow becomes a reality. As frequent school cancellations, bad driving conditions and the harsh cold weather persist we start to feel the weight of the winter season. We start realizing how much we rely on our public resources, like local schools to provide childcare, a hot lunch, or even a warm place for some of our neighbors. Our hearts are heavy knowing many people in our community must sustain these conditions out in the cold. As we face these issues together, we begin to get a better understanding of how our efforts to help others, even just a little, can make a large impact.

At Lydia Place, we see the impact of poverty and financial insecurity every day. And yet, on the eve of the storm, your efforts made A HUGE IMPACT at our 30th Anniversary Hearts for Housing Gala and Auction raising over $260,000! This year's Gala exceeded all of our expectations. From the totally radical 80's ensembles, to the throwback music we all know by heart, and the profound words from our founding mothers and dedicated board members,
it was a night to remember! We cannot imagine a more meaningful way to celebrate how far we have come in the last 30 years than with all of you!!
TOP LYDIA PLACE NEWS
Hearts For Housing Was A Blast!
Thank you to all our community partners, supporters, and volunteers for helping us reach our goal at this year’s Hearts for Housing event! Amidst the beginning of a snow storm, over 180 volunteers came with smiles and open arms to contribute over 800 hours of work to make this event the success. We are so thankful to have this compassionate community of volunteers, staff, sponsors, and donors around us to support us in raising the essential dollars needed to disrupt the cycle of homelessness!Your time and generosity ensures the success of our mission!
♄ Here's to another 30 years and the POWER OF LOVE! ♄

In case you couldn't join us, check out our 30th Anniversary the videos below!
Thank You To Our AMAZING SPONSORS AND VENDORS!
Bell Tower Open House
Thank you to the Bellingham Chamber of Commerce and neighbors who stopped by to celebrate this special occasion with our Staff and Board Members. Tonight we celebrated the gorgeous (and much needed) renovation of our new Bell Tower office space! This renovation created 13 office spaces for our Intake, Housing, and Mental Health case managers, and Facilities and Capital Projects Team to call home. We are extremely grateful and excited to share this re-opening with all of you!
Welcome To The Lydia Place Team!
Join us in welcoming our new
Parent Educator, Sarah!
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Are you originally from Bellingham?
I'm originally from the east side of Seattle, but my family and I just moved here from Milwaukee, after 9 years in Wisconsin. We are loving being back in the Northwest, and closer to friends and family.

How has your background prepared you for your new role at Lydia Place?
I've been supporting families as a postpartum Doula for two and a half years now, so my new role as a Parent Educator is widening my scope, but it's the same essential work. Fewer and fewer of us have strong, supportive local communities to rely on, but parenting is not meant to be done alone.

Thank you for offering your knowledge and experience to further our mission,
we are lucky to have you on the Lydia Place Team!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Join in the fun at this charitable bowling event by participating on 1 of 5 "KingPin" teams competing* to become the ultimate champion at this year's Bowling for Beds event! A fun, family-friendly bowling event to help raise emergency hotel funds for Lydia Place. Sign up to bowl with your family, friends, or make new friends while supporting local families in need.

Last year Lydia Place spent over $30,000 in hotel expenses to remove families with children and expectant mothers from inhabitable and/or dangerous living conditions. Although these emergency hotel stays are not allocated in our budget, we felt we had to step up and do the right thing. We need your support to help build our emergency fund for 2019, so when a crisis involving children arises, we can keep saying “Yes,” and be a immediate lifeline to families in need.
*No bowling skills required, just a healthy amount of competition for a good cause. Sign up to bowl with your family, friends, or make new friends while supporting a great cause for our local neighbors in need.

Each ticket includes 2 games of bowling, shoe rental, food, and 2 drink tickets.
We have 1 lane reserved for children 12 and under (free). Supervision is required.
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Art for Housing!
Joi n us for an exclusive evening of delicious food, art, and libations at this year’s Art for Housing event –May 3rd!

A special evening of delicious fare from Bellingham Cider Company paired with the premier performance of Sandra Ruhl’s ‘Orlando’, in collaboration with WWU’s Rich Brown at the Sylvia Center for the Arts. If you love ART
 you are sure to love this!
Save the Date For Handbags For Housing 2019!
On June 6th, Lydia Place, along with event partners Barkley Village, Whatcom County Association of Realtors, Labels Consignment and Wise Buys Thrift Store present Handbags for Housing 2019! Bellingham’s largest ladies (gentlemen welcome) night, fashion show extravaganza and handbag exchange. Hundreds of handbags, a beauty bar, cocktail and wine vendors, along with local boutiques and retailers all come together under one (tented) roof, to showcase the sheer power of local fashion and philanthropy.

Tickets go on sale April 1st, with all proceeds benefiting Lydia Place services working to break the cycle of homelessness for this generation and the next.

This years’ runway theme is Circus with the fabulous Shannon Day as ringmaster!
Nissan Helps Us Welcome Our Clients Home!
Shop at our local Bellingham Nissan and support Lydia Place!

For every car sold in March, Bellingham Nissan will donate $25 to fund one of our Lydia Place Welcome Home Baskets. These baskets provides some of the most essential items a family needs to start turning their new permanent housing into a clean and safe home!
IT TAKES A COMMUNITY
We Love our Community Partners!
Why We Love Habitat for Humanity:
Lydia Place has an essential partnership with Habitat for Humanity. Their donation partnership with us empowers our clients by giving them the ability to decide what they really need in their home. When items are donated to Habitat for Humanity on behalf of Lydia Place, we receive a credit which allows our clients to receive vouchers to purchase their own items and furniture. To further this partnership, Habitat helps alleviate an issue many of our clients face, by offering volunteer support in transporting large items to their homes.
Did You know?
Habitat for Humanity offers free donation pickups! Follow the link below to learn how.
PSE Powerful Partnership
For more than a century PSE has prided itself in serving our community by keeping the lights on and the gas flowing safely and reliably. We were so honored to have been a  PSE  Powerful Partner for 2018! Thank you to our local PSE crew for all your support❀ 
WISE BUYS BULLETIN
OUR BACKROOM RENOVATION PROJECT IS COMPLETE!

We've been working hard this last week to do some early spring cleaning! Our back room renovation project to create more space and organization in our backroom donation area was a great success. With the support of the most amazing group of volunteers, we have re-opened our doors with renewed efficiency!

We couldn't be more grateful for everyone who came out to support us. Come visit soon!
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
We are grateful for the work of the Whatcom County Health Department, City of Bellingham, Whatcom County Coalition to End Homelessness, Whatcom Homeless Service Center at Opportunity Council, and the incredible volunteers who participated in the 2019 point in time (PIT) count.

Although the PIT count provides valuable information about the number of people experiencing homelessness in our community, we know it is only a snapshot. Just as we've learned a safe home is merely the first step towards independence; the PIT count is the starting point for assessing the scope of homelessness in our community. It does not represent all persons and families who are struggling and seeking our services. They may be on the verge of becoming homeless, fleeing from domestic violence, facing a temporary economic hardship, couch surfing or double-upped with friends or family.
Seven People Share What Got Them Out Of Homelessness
The Seattle Times asked individuals who experienced homelessness some thought provoking questions about the factors that contributed to ending that cycle. One individual responds, “I would say that this question implies that once someone is housed again all problems are over. I’ve been homeless multiple times throughout my life and 
 all of the services that are there to help someone not be homeless anymore stop as soon as the person is housed. Putting a roof over my head did not resolve all of the issues that were contributing factors."
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CONTRIBUTOR'S CIRCLE
THANK YOU!
Thank you to those who recently made financial contributions to the programs and services of Lydia Place!
Robert Ball│Ben Kinney Training Organization Inc│ David Beaumier│ Jon Brown & Sanda Meeker│BP America Inc │Michael & Mary Brunt│ Paul Bulanov│P.S. Carmichael Clark│ Tony Casale│Rachel Cecka│Lisa Chovil│ Karen & Richard Clark│Dawn Crum│ Jennifer Dodge│Gay Dubigk│ Pamela E. Englett│ Graham Essex│First Federal│ Steve Forbes│Daniel & Dana Hanks│Lisa Heezen│ Amy Johnson│Alan G. Kemble│Ann Lackland│ Tom Laughlin│Sonja Lee│Janet Lutz-Smith│Karen McGaa│ Kathleen McQuaide│ Patti Morgan│Alberta Morrison│Marilyn Moullen│Lynn Murphy│ Shenandoah Myrick│Nina Nancarrow│Amber Olson│Debbie Parker│ Maggie Parker│ Melanie Pysden│Ram Construction│Riordan-Thompson Family Charitable Fund│ Cleo Schacker│ Kari Severns│Karla Slusher│Jillene Snell│Delores Starcher│Sterling Rentals 1 LLC│Ashley Thomasson│ Scott L Thomson│ Ryan Thramer│Jeffery Y. Tom│ Ana Vetter│ Whatcom Educational Credit Union│ Margaret Wild│Alex Wiley│Elizabeth Woonacott
Saying Yes!
This month, as our community struggled through an extended period of freezing temperatures and record-setting snowfall, our neighbors experiencing homelessness, and those struggling to stay afloat, have been hit hard. School closures and heavy snowfall mean missed days of work and therefore lost income, which for too many households can mean the difference between having enough food and making a rent payment, or empty bellies, late fees, or an eviction notice.As our community struggles with the rise in homelessness, the success of this event, and your generosity, are critical in helping us keep hope alive. Your support provides Lydia Place the means to continue expanding our critical housing programs and supportive services that benefit hundreds of families experiencing homelessness in Whatcom County every year.

By saying yes and making a contribution, you can help us disrupt the cycle of homelessness in our community for this generation and the next!
360.671.7663 | info@lydiaplace.org | www.lydiaplace.org
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