An important note from Emily O'Connor |
|
Dear LP Community and fierce child champions!
This year has been another amazing year at Lydia Place, thanks to the generosity, partnership, and tenacity of our amazing community supporters - like you! Last week, the eleventh family moved into the last unit of our new facility - Heart house - and the YMCA Early Learning Center is set to open very soon. We continue to expand our housing program capacity to help meet the demands of a staggering community waitlist, extend our parenting supports to the families we serve, including welcoming our first dedicated bi-lingual Parent Support Specialist, we are deepening our mental health program with therapeutic drop-in family art sessions and groups, and our community engagement team continues to harness the power of creative collaborations to make matches between the compassion of local groups and business with the needs of families. Lydia Place continues to focus on our core values of Employee Wellness, Community, Equity, and Upstream Impact, as we build our vision for the next few years. It has truly been a privilege to lead this organization over the past decade and now it's time for me to hand the helm of this amazing organization to its next executive director. I always knew I'd have to leave someday, but believe me when I say, that doesn't make it any easier!
I love this community. I love each and every one of you for pouring your love and generosity into this journey to get us where we are today. Transition is a great time for reflection and to celebrate all we have accomplished together. As our amazing Board of Directors works in the near term to select the next director, the Lydia Place crew will be hard at work, doing what they do every day - supporting families in finding stability from which to thrive. I plan to support Lydia Place throughout this transition into early next year. After that? I plan to spend some time with my kiddos, and then I'll jump back in somewhere - advocating for the community I love and finding ways to build a bright future for all children, and, of course, cheering Lydia Place on!
Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of this journey for so long. I cannot tell you how much this work has shaped me; how much each of you have impacted me. Because of you, I have no doubt we can create the community we all want to see - one where all families have a home and the opportunity to thrive.
With love and gratitude,
Emily O'Connor
Lydia Place Executive Director
|
|
Help us celebrate Lydia Place's 33rd Birthday! Join us at one (or many!) of these events in October and a portion of the proceeds will be donated back to Lydia Place!
|
|
*To ensure your meal is counted toward our fundraiser, please mention Lydia Place when placing your order!
|
|
A portion of proceeds benefiting Lydia Place. |
|
Trails to Taps is in need of volunteers!
Join us as a flagger next Sunday as we direct costumed runners to the finish line in a fun run that celebrates Bellingham's natural beauty and numerous breweries!
|
Team registration is still open! Learn more and register a team:
Sunday, October 16th
|
|
SAVE THE DATE!
Hearts for Housing Enchanted Forest Gala
Saturday, February 11th 2023
We are finally back in-person at the Four Points by Sheraton!
Join us for the most magical and enchanted Valentine’s event in Whatcom County!
HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE
Donate to our auction:
We are on the look-out for donated services, items, experiences, local getaways, and/or gift cards that can be used in our silent auctions.
Sponsor this event:
Sponsors are the foundation of our fundraising success. We have a variety of sponsorships available for individuals and businesses. If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please contact Tally Rabatin at [email protected]
Be our guest:
Tickets go on sale Monday, October 31st 2022. This is our largest fundraising event of the year, and it sells out fast-don't miss out!
|
|
|
|
Thank you CTK Farm for a bounty of summer fruits and veggies! |
Lydia Place families enjoyed local produce all summer long thanks to CTK Farm.
Each week, seasonal fresh produce was delivered to Lydia Place campuses in CSA-style boxes, and then distributed to clients by their Lydia Place case managers. Many thanks to the CTK staff and volunteers who worked hard to grow this food!
Additional thanks to the Seafood Producers Cooperative for donating sturdy boxes to make packing and distributing this produce easy!
|
|
Thank you for voting us Best in the Northwest! |
Thank you for selecting us as one of the Best Nonprofit Organizations in Bellingham Alive's 'Reader's Choice Awards.'
We are grateful to the many individuals, businesses, and agencies that support us in so many ways, so that we can continue to engage in the work of building a community where every person has a home and the opportunity to thrive
|
|
|
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Did you know Lydia Place partners with Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services (DVSAS) to provide housing placement and case management services to families fleeing domestic violence who enter the DVSAS Safe Shelter? Bri Hansey-Butler, Lydia Place's Case Manager liaison to DVSAS and Engedi Refuge, explains why this partnership is so important.
"Safety and security are essential aspects of healing from a traumatic experience; with stable housing, a survivor of domestic violence is more likely to heal from their trauma and less likely to return to their perpetrator." - Bri, Lydia Place Case Manager
Thank you to our community for continuing to fund partnerships like this, so women and children exiting DVSAS's safe shelter have the housing support they need.
|
|
|
|
Why Lydia Place Supports Prop 5
Election day is November 8 and funding for vulnerable children is on the ballot. Hear Lydia Place Executive Director, Emily O'Connor explain why we're asking you to say "YES" to Whatcom Kids!
|
|
Whatcom Housing Week | Oct 17-20
Whatcom Housing Week features a series of events that build awareness and support for innovative housing solutions. Learn, engage, discuss, and feel empowered to be part of the solution to our community's housing crisis.
Read more
whatcomhousingalliance.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
MMIP & Trafficking Awareness Coastal Jam & Pow Wow | Oct 7-8
Lummi Victims of Crime and Northwest Indian College invites you to join them in raising awareness for the missing and murdered loved ones in our community.
Read more
www.nwic.edu
|
|
|
|
|
|
Become a Housing Hero
Recurring monthly donations are incredibly important. By providing a steady stream of reliable income, monthly donors help us say “yes” to families in crisis.
|
|
|
|
|
Landlords Can Partner With Us!
Ending homelessness in Whatcom County requires a community solution. That is why we need property owners and managers, like you, who are willing to collaborate with us to address the housing crisis in our community.
To learn more about how we partner with landlords, please contact Louis Walbrek, Program Manager for the Rapid Re-Housing Program, at [email protected].
|
|
|
|
FOLLOW US
Join us on Facebook or Instagram to stay up to date with program developments, fundraising events, and other opportunities to get involved!
|
|
October 10th, 2022 - Indigenous People's Day
Lydia Place offices will be closed Monday October 10th in observance of the holiday.
|
|
|
|
Phone: 360-671-7663
Office Hours: Monday - Thursday 9 AM to 5 PM
|
|
|
Lydia Place is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and your donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by the law. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
