Temporary Day-Use and Overnight Emergency Winter Shelter Resources
The City of Bellingham and the Whatcom County Health Department have partnered with Road2Home (R2H) to offer additional overnight shelter and daytime warming options when weather is severe enough to threaten health and safety. These temporary facilities will be activated this winter (2022/2023) when forecasts predict specific and dangerous temperature and precipitation conditions.
For updates on the open/closed status of each facility, call the night-by-night shelter hotline at (360) 788-7983 or visit the Emergency Severe Winter Shelter page (whatcomcounty.us/SWS) of the Whatcom County Health Department website.
The City of Bellingham, Severe Weather Day Use Warming Center, Central Library Lecture Room, in downtown Bellingham, operated by Road2Home.
- Provides a temporary safe daytime warming center for individuals experiencing homelessness
- Can accommodate up to 60 individuals on days the program is placed into service
- Will operate at 210 Central Avenue in the Downtown Neighborhood from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Will open when a severe weather emergency (as determined by Whatcom County Health Department’s guiding assumptions) is forecasted to hit the community
Whatcom County, Overnight Severe Weather Shelter, Civic Field Athletic Complex, operated by Road2Home
- Provides a temporary safe overnight shelter for adults experiencing homelessness
- Can accommodate up to 37 individuals on any night
- Will operate at 1355 Civic Field Way in the Puget Neighborhood
- Will open when a severe weather emergency (as determined by Whatcom County Health Department’s guiding assumptions) is forecasted to hit the community
More details: Temporary day-use and overnight facilities to be available during severe weather (news release 11/4/22)
Emergency Shelters and Day Centers
The City partners with and/or provides funding to several organizations that provide emergency overnight shelter and day center accommodations for people experiencing homelessness.
Base Camp: Men and Women’s Overnight Shelter and Day Center, 1530 Cornwall Avenue, operated by Lighthouse Mission Ministries (LMM) year-round
- Up to 200 men and women can be accommodated at Base Camp each night
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served daily
- Base Camp is available for men and women during the day and offers services from partnering organizations
- For more information about Base Camp, visit https://www.thelighthousemission.org/what-we-do/base-camp/
Other Shelter Options
Emergency Shelter Options for Families with Children
- Please contact the Opportunity Council’s Community Resource Center during business hours to learn more about what is available to families with children who are experiencing homelessness
- Call 360-734-5121 ext. 0, from 9:00 to 4:00 Mon-Thurs, or 9:00-12:00 Fridays, to make an appointment
- For more information, visit https://www.oppco.org/whsc/
Unity Village, 210 McKenzie Avenue, operated by HomesNOW!
- Provides a temporary safe tiny home village for adults experiencing homelessness
- Up to 20 tiny homes are available for men and women
- Operating temporarily at 210 McKenzie Avenue in Fairhaven
- For more information, visit HomesNOW Unity Village (https://homesnow.org/unity-village)
Swift Haven, Civic Field Athletic Complex, operated by HomeNOW!
- Provides a temporary safe tiny home village for adults experiencing homelessness
- 25 tiny homes
- Operating temporarily at 1555 Puget Street in the Puget Neighborhood
- For more information, visit HomesNOW Swift Haven (https://homesnow.org/swift-haven)
