Thank you to the 573 supporters who have joined this fight to demand action from Whatcom County and the City of Bellingham. You’ve shown compassion, urgency, and leadership—qualities our elected officials are shamefully lacking.
Despite the growing chorus of voices demanding change, our leaders remain silent. Not one response. Not one commitment to do better. Meanwhile, our most vulnerable neighbors are left to endure freezing, life-threatening conditions while taxpayer-funded resources go unused.
This silence is not just unacceptable—it’s inhumane.
11 Freezing Nights Ignored, Lives on the Line
Here’s the truth they’re hoping you’ll overlook:
• Out of 13 freezing nights this season, the winter weather shelter has been closed for 11 nights.
• Wind chills have dropped into the 20s on multiple occasions, conditions that can lead to death.
• The City of Bellingham gave $100,000 to support this shelter, yet it remains closed most nights while people suffer.
This is not a mistake—it’s a failure of leadership, a conscious decision to prioritize saving money over saving lives.
No Response is a Shameful Response
When leaders refuse to respond to 573 voices, they are sending a loud and clear message:
• They do not care about their unhoused constituents.
• They are comfortable ignoring preventable suffering.
• They believe voters will overlook their inaction.
Let me be clear: Voters will remember. We will remember the leaders who ignored freezing nights. We will remember the leaders who stayed silent while people froze.
Demand Immediate Action
We are calling on Whatcom County and the City of Bellingham to:
1. Raise the Winter Shelter Threshold to 40°F, including wind chill, so no one is left out in deadly conditions.
2. Operate the Shelter Consistently on all qualifying nights throughout the winter season.
3. Provide Accountability for the $100,000 of taxpayer money contributed to the shelter program, which has been grossly underutilized.
The time for excuses is over. The time for action is now.
How You Can Fight Back
We can’t let their silence drown out our demands. Here’s how you can make a difference:
1. Contact Local Leaders
• Satpal Sidhu (County Executive): ssidhu@co.whatcom.wa.us
• Whatcom County Council: council@co.whatcom.wa.us
• Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund: klund@cob.org
Sample Message:
“573 residents have signed this petition demanding you raise the winter shelter threshold to 40°F. 11 freezing nights ignored is a moral failure, and your silence is unacceptable. Act now to save lives—voters will not forget this disgraceful inaction.”
2. Share This Petition Everywhere
• Post it on social media, email it to friends, and encourage others to sign: https://www.change.org/WhatcomWinterShelter
3. Speak Out at Public Meetings
• Attend County and City Council meetings. Demand accountability. Call out their silence.
This is Life and Death
573 voices have spoken. Where are you, Whatcom County? Where are you, Mayor Lund?
Your silence is killing people. Your excuses are unacceptable. Every night this shelter stays closed is another night of needless suffering. And every voter watching this knows: you could have done better.
We won’t stop. We won’t be ignored. We demand compassion, leadership, and action now.
Let’s keep the pressure on. Thank you for standing up, for speaking out, and for fighting for a community that doesn’t leave people out in the cold. We will be heard.
With Gratitude,
Tukayote Helianthus