Thank you for continuing to support this petition to raise the winter weather shelter threshold in Whatcom County to 40°F, including wind chill. Your comments and heartfelt messages are powerful reminders of why this issue matters so deeply to our community. Below are some of the compelling voices from this petition that illustrate the urgency of taking action:
What You’re Saying
• “We deserve better.”
• “No one should be left out in the cold.”
• “Exposure does not require sustained 32 degrees to be lethal.”
• “No one should ever be left to sleep outside in the cold!”
• “40 is cold enough! Imagine living outside…”
• “To be humane society asking for this is the very very smallest ask. People are already tired and at risk of succumbing to harsh weather. If you think 32 degrees is right I ask you stay outside for days without adequate health, food, meds and winter gear.”
• “It’s the humane thing to do.”
• “Every person who has ever been outdoors in foul weather knows that temperatures as low as 45 degrees can be too cold for an inadequately sheltered person to survive. We must do better! There but for the accidents of chance go all of us.”
• “It is beyond inhumane to not provide warm reprieve to those that need it. Housing and shelter is a human right.”
What’s at Stake
• “Allowing people to freeze to death is simply not acceptable.”
• “The homeless population needs a place to go at night when it’s cold! What’s the point of a shelter if it’s closed?”
• “Bellingham officials have shown time and time again that they don’t care about our homeless neighbors. This action would at least be a step in the right direction. I hope they can find it in their hearts to listen to us.”
• “Everyone deserves safe warming housing. Even if the temperature is above freezing, it doesn’t mean the conditions are not hazardous to a person’s health.”
• “This is a no-brainer—help folks get & stay warm before death knocks!”
• “People deserve dignity, and being warm in shelters is part of that.”
What You’re Asking For
• “Raise the threshold to 40°F—because it’s freaking cold out there!”
• “Anyone against this should go camping with basic supplies when the weather is between 37° and 40° so they know what it’s like being in the cold.”
• “If you are able, consider volunteering to help at a winter cold weather shelter. Having volunteers available helps to keep these shelters open.”
• “Everyone deserves to have access to safe shelter.”
A Shared Commitment to Compassion
The voices in this petition—your voices—make it clear that our community believes in treating people with dignity and compassion. This is about more than just a temperature threshold; it’s about ensuring that no one is left to face life-threatening conditions simply because they lack shelter.
Call to Action
If you haven’t already, please share this petition and encourage others to sign. Every voice counts, and together we can demand that Whatcom County:
1. Raise the shelter threshold to 40°F to protect vulnerable individuals from preventable harm.
2. Commit to consistent shelter operations to build trust and save lives.
3. Use our community’s compassion as a guide to create policies that reflect humanity, not bureaucracy.
Thank you for standing with us. Together, we can make a difference. No one should be left out in the cold.