Lighthouse Mission joins others in outreach to encampment residents

Lighthouse Mission Ministries is coordinating with the City of Bellingham, the Opportunity Council’s Homeless Outreach Team and other outreach providers in providing assistance for residents of a large homeless encampment near Walmart in north Bellingham.

Outreach teams comprised of those entities have made several visits to the encampment in recent weeks, distributing water, hygiene supplies and other essential supplies, according to Brittany Hargrove, Chief Program Officer of Lighthouse Mission. They also are making plans to support residents when they are directed to leave the encampment in August.

Lighthouse Mission will temporarily adjust its intake-bed capacity, adding up to 30 beds if necessary, said Justin Reeves, Chief Operating Officer of Lighthouse Mission. Staff members are prepared to help individuals and make the intake process smooth for any new residents. However, Reeves added that its experience when people are forced to leave other encampments has been that few accept the offer of shelter and meals.

“This encampment is very large, highly established and presents significant safety concerns,” Hargrove said. “At the same time, many individuals have lived there for an extended period and view it as their community. Because of that, this sweep will likely feel more disruptive and consequential to residents than other encampment removals they may have experienced in the past.

She noted that encampments often function as small communities with their own culture, relationships, expectations, and informal systems of support. People may share resources, exchange information, protect one another, or help meet basic needs. This can be true even when interpersonal conflict, exploitation, or crime also occurs within the encampment, Hargrove said.

“When someone feels a sense of belonging and is able to meet at least some of their needs through that community, informal networks, or other resourceful means, entering a shelter or engaging with formal services may feel less necessary or appealing,” Hargrove said. “Moving into a shelter

can also mean leaving familiar relationships, routines, possessions, pets or a sense of autonomy. For that reason, outreach efforts are often most effective when they focus on building trust, understanding what the encampment community provides and addressing the specific barriers that make shelter or services feel like a less desirable option.”

A new $29 million, five-story Lighthouse Mission campus opened in 2025, serving homeless neighbors at 1312 F St., Bellingham. It is Whatcom County’s only walk-in Emergency Overnight Shelter and includes several programs: Enhanced Shelter Dorms for men and women, a Seniors and Medical Respite program, Family Shelter and a forthcoming Behavioral Health program.

Lighthouse Mission is currently staffed to accommodate 250 people with facilities that can eventually flex to 500 people. The Mission serves three meals daily and provide case managers and resource connections in a community-oriented atmosphere. Lighthouse Mission’s Liminal Coffee opened to the public Feb. 14 in the same building, offering vocational development for current and former Mission residents.

Lighthouse Mission Ministries has been helping people who are homeless since 1923. It provides a continuum of services aimed at ending homelessness through meals, enhanced shelters, addiction recovery, spiritual support, and aftercare. To make a donation or volunteer, call (360) 733-5120, or visit www.thelighthousemission.org.