BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Whatcom County Health and Community Services (WCHCS) gave an update today, announcing changes it expects to make for this year’s upcoming severe weather shelter.
The department has once again taken over operating a severe weather shelter in Bellingham after repeated calls for organizations to take on the shelter’s operation went unanswered.
Those include doubling the number of temporary staff hired to operate the shelter, using a department van for morning transportation and bringing in more food donations.
WCHCS will also reduce the number of beds in the shelter from 80 to 60 this coming year.
They say staff is currently finalizing job descriptions and training plans for the shelter. Those jobs will be posted in the next couple months, according to the department.
A location for the shelter has not yet been finalized, but WCHCS anticipates a lease will be authorized in September.
The department is also putting out a call for an organization to operate another shelter outside of Bellingham.
Whatcom County Council hasn’t publicly commented on whether it will raise the temperature threshold for the 2025-26 season, as advocates pushed for a 50-degree threshold last year and the council did consider that change.
