The Lighthouse Mission Ministries’ new homeless shelter will open in October to serve 300 homeless people in Whatcom County.
The new facility at 1312 F St. in Old Town Bellingham will replace the Mission’s existing facility, Base Camp, located at 1530 Cornwall Ave. on the edge of downtown.
The Mission will host an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28. Tours will be held every 15 minutes with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at noon.
Beyond the 200 beds available overnight, the five-story facility will also include “micro-shelters” for families, working guests, elderly guests and guests needing mental health care, totaling 100 extra beds. The shelter will also have an overflow capacity of 100 beds to serve guests during severe weather events.
The Mission also provides other services for homeless people, including street outreach, addiction recovery, spiritual support and aftercare.
The $29-plus million project was funded mainly by private donations. It includes solar panels and a battery back-up power system, funded through a nearly $1 million grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Solar Plus Storage for Resilient Communities program.
“We are so grateful for this community’s love and generosity,” President and CEO of Lighthouse Mission Ministries Hans Erchinger-Davis said in a news release. “The new facility will help many people change their lives with mental health services, addiction support and safe housing.”
Demolition of the old Lighthouse Mission Ministries building on West Holly Street began in March 2023.
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
