June Lydia Place Newsletter--Bright Sun and Brighter Futures

At long last, summer has arrived here in Whatcom County. School is out, parks are packed, and Lydia Place is hard at work to make this the best summer yet for our clients. We have multiple workshops and events just for clients, garden projects to make our properties even more beautiful, and a back to school fair to teach parents about early childhood development. It may be summer vacation, but we know that homelessness doesn't take a day off--and neither do we. Thanks to all of our staff and volunteers for continuing to work to disrupt the cycle of homelessness, and provide brighter futures (and summers!) for our clients!

You went down the rabbit hole! THANK YOU!

You ROCKED the runway at the 6th annual Handbags for Housing this June! Over 500 of you hopped over to the Barkley Green and proved that Handbags for Housing is the biggest fashion event in Whatcom County! YOU raised over $90,000 for Lydia Place programs and services! That's almost $25,000 more than last year!

Thank you to all of our sponsors, volunteers, participating stores, and models for making this event possible. Once again, we are blown away with the power of community and what happens when we all come together to disrupt the cycle of homelessness. You are changing the lives of current and future generations in Whatcom County--thank you!

Visit our Facebook page to see all the fun photos from the night!

Psst! See our complete list of sponsors and take our post-event survey here !

Beer Prom This Saturday!

Guess what? You have plans Saturday night. We've teamed up with Kulshan Brewing to bring Bellingham the most epic prom its ever seen--Beer Prom! Who doesn't love the 80s, and it's Bellingham--what Bhamster doesn't love beer? Tickets are still available for this totally radical event. There will be an 80s costume contest, live music, a Delorean (we went there!), plus 7 collaborative brews you'll only taste at Beer Prom! Buy your tickets online or at the door, and we'll see you at The Leopold Crystal Ballroom Saturday night!

Thank You to Our Landlords

Without our wonderful landlords and property management companies, we simply wouldn't be able to house over 400 households every year. Last month we brought 30 former and current landlords together to learn how we can better support them, and hear their ideas to make our programs and services better. Thank you to those who attended and gave their wonderful feedback, to PSE for presenting on ways to save energy in units, and to the Four Points for providing a delicious breakfast buffet!

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities

Looking to volunteer at Lydia Place? We need you! This summer we have multiple events with our families, and need volunteers to help watch kiddos so mom and dad can focus! Are you more into gardening? We need support at our Baker Place and Bell Tower properties! For more information, please email kylef@lydiaplace.org today!

Goodbye Lindsey Vis!

After two years at Lydia Place, our beloved Volunteer Coordinator Lindsey Vis is

hanging up her hat at the end of June.

Before she does, we want to say

thank you to Lindsey for helping to recruit, train, engage, and support hundreds in their desire to serve Lydia Place! Her efforts have channeled more than 25,000 volunteer hours into our programs and services.

Lindsey, you will be missed!

Staff Retreat + Thank You Ben!

Last Friday, Lydia Place offices closed to allow for our staff to come together to dream, reflect, and bond in order to be stronger together in the fight against homelessness. We were so surprised when Ben Kinney gifted our whole staff with LP branded hydro flask water bottles! Our staff is always on the move, so we are so thrilled to be able to decrease our environmental impact while staying hydrated! Thanks Ben!

Get inspired with this impact story courtesy of Family Services Program Case Manager Tiffini Ayala.

Esperanza and Ben cannot stop smiling as they watch their 13 month old daughter Vicki cruise around their new apartment in her bouncer.

For the last 4 months of Vicki’s life, she and her parents lived in a car after becoming homeless when Esperanza was unable to continue working due to an on-set of physical disabilities and required surgeries. Not having a safe space for Vicki to do tummy time and engage in other forms of play, she fell behind in her development and mobility benchmarks. Upon settling into their apartment, the first thing Esperanza and Ben asked for were resources to help Vicki catch up. Through Lydia Place’s partnership with Little Bugs Consignment, their case manager Tiffini helped secure a bouncer for Vicki. At a recent home visit, Vicki zoomed around while Esperanza and Ben shared how amazed they were at her resiliency and growth since they moved last month. They have since enrolled in Lydia Place’s Parents as Teachers Program and are excited to have additional support in building a foundation for Vicki to grow and thrive.

Additionally, Esperanza is now able to schedule her needed surgeries since she will have a safe home to recover in, which will open up opportunities for her to regain employment. The future is bright for this sweet family and Lydia Place could not be more thrilled to stand alongside them and cheer them on!

Congratulations Esperanza, Ben, and little Vicki as you "bounce" to your bright future!

Check out these events and articles from our community and nationwide!

Last month, Ben Kinney Companies donated $400,000

(yes, THAT many zeros!) to us for A Place for Dads. Learn more about this incredible donation in

North Sound Life.

Learn more

Could the tiny home movement actually decrease federal funding for homelessness? It might in King County. Learn more from The Seattle Times about how this movement could potentially impact Seattle, and all of

Western Washington.

More Details

" We want people to have a better life, the community to benefit and Bellingham to be a safer and healthier place.” That's the Peoples Bank way, and that's why they support Lydia Place. Read more about our partnership with them from WhatcomTalk.com.

Read On

Wise Buys is possible because of the volunteer support of over 40 community members who help to keep our doors open. Without them, we would not be able to provide this amazing resource for our clients, and our community. Watch this video to learn more about volunteering, and sign up today!

Looking to save energy?

For a limited time, get increased instant discounts on select energy-saving LEDs from Greenlite:

A-lamp LED (60- or 75-watt equivalent) 2-pack for $1.98

Reflector LED 2-pack for $1.98

Offers good starting June 2 through July 27, 2018. For a list of participating stores, go to pse.com/savewithpse

Thank you to Allstate volunteer Scott Richardson for being a positive force for change in our community. Scott, owner of State Street Insurance and former Lydia Place Board member, gave his time and enabled us to receive an Allstate Foundation Helping Hands Grant.

The Allstate Foundation supports the causes that Allstate agency owners, financial specialists, and employees care about most by providing Helping Hands Grants to nonprofits where they volunteer their time to bring out the good in their communities.

Please join us in thanking all of the individuals and businesses who have recently given to support the programs and services of Lydia Place:

David Beaumier | Debbie Parker | Gabriel Byram | glassybaby white light fund

Harbor Holdings Groups, LLC | Heather Michel | Jeffery Tom | Jennifer Dodge | Jillene Snell

Susan Palmer | Suzannah Gusukuma | Tom Laughlin | Tony Casale | WWU Leadership Department

YMCA Girls on the Run

ENJOY 50% OFF ANY ITEM

WISE BUYS THRIFT STORE | 1224 N STATE ST

TUES THRU SAT 10AM-5PM | 360.734.0202

EXPIRES 7/31/18

CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER DISCOUNTS. MUST PRESENT COUPON AT TIME OF PURCHASE. NO CASH VALUE.