Dear Friends and Community Partners, After much thought, and in light of recent health events and my ongoing commitment to physical and mental health recovery, I have made the difficult decision that Operation Water Drop will be making its final delivery on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. Since the first case went out, we’ve put more than 640 bottles of water a week, over 80,000 in total, into the hands of our neighbors who needed them most. None of this would have been possible without your trust, collaboration, and the dedication of volunteers and donors who helped along the way. I had hoped to find a sustainable way forward, but I can no longer fiscally or physically continue to run the program for much longer. Rather than let it quietly fizzle out, I want to end with honesty, gratitude, and recognition of the good we’ve accomplished together. I extend a special […]
Read MorePost Tagged with: "homeless"
Left Outside: The True State of Homelessness in Whatcom County
Introduction Walk through downtown Bellingham on any morning, and you’ll see it: people huddled in doorways, sleeping in cars, or quietly pushing shopping carts piled high with their belongings. These aren’t strangers from somewhere else — they’re our neighbors. They’re the seniors who can’t afford rent after a medical bill, the families hiding in parking lots to escape domestic violence, the students trying to do homework without a stable home. In 2024, Whatcom County’s homelessness crisis has reached a point where the numbers and the human stories can no longer be separated. The data tells us the problem is solvable — but only if we act. The Numbers We Can’t Ignore At the start of this year, 684 households were in the Coordinated Entry Housing Pool — the local system for people seeking housing assistance. These are households that have gone through intake, are actively waiting for help, and, in […]
Read MoreWhatcom County’s Response to Heat and Smoke? Silence.
For over a year, I’ve been asking Whatcom County and City of Bellingham leaders a set of simple, urgent questions about how they plan to respond to extreme heat and wildfire smoke—conditions that are becoming more frequent and more deadly every summer. As the founder of Operation Water Drop, I see firsthand the people most affected by our climate emergencies: unhoused residents, elders in poorly ventilated apartments, those without transportation, and individuals with chronic illness. These are the folks most likely to die during a heatwave or suffer from long-term respiratory damage due to wildfire smoke. Despite this, there are still no clearly defined thresholds for when cooling or clean air shelters are activated in Whatcom County. No public policy. No clear plan. No communication strategy. Just volunteers scrambling in 80+ degree heat to fill the gaps. What I Asked Here are the questions I’ve asked, repeatedly, since June 2024: […]
Read MoreFollow-Up to Whatcom/Bellingham Leaders: No Response on Cooling Center Plans Ahead of Dangerous Heat
From: Tukayote Helianthus <emailme@tukayote.com>Date: Friday, July 11, 2025 at 07:26To: mayorsoffice@cob.org <mayorsoffice@cob.org>, ccmail@cob.org <ccmail@cob.org>, hestone@cob.org <hestone@cob.org>, hahuthman@cob.org <hahuthman@cob.org>, dchammill@cob.org <dchammill@cob.org>, Cotton, Jace A. <jacotton@cob.org>, ehwilliams@cob.org <ehwilliams@cob.org>, laanderson@cob.org <laanderson@cob.org>, mlilliquist@cob.org <mlilliquist@cob.org>, council@co.whatcom.wa.us <council@co.whatcom.wa.us>, CFrazey@co.whatcom.wa.us <CFrazey@co.whatcom.wa.us>, kgallowa@co.whatcom.wa.us <kgallowa@co.whatcom.wa.us>, bbuchana@co.whatcom.wa.us <bbuchana@co.whatcom.wa.us>, tdonovan@co.whatcom.wa.us <tdonovan@co.whatcom.wa.us>, tbyrd@co.whatcom.wa.us <tbyrd@co.whatcom.wa.us>, kkershne@co.whatcom.wa.us <kkershne@co.whatcom.wa.us>, belenbaa@co.whatcom.wa.us <belenbaa@co.whatcom.wa.us>, DTanksle@co.whatcom.wa.us <DTanksle@co.whatcom.wa.us>, ssidhu@co.whatcom.wa.us <ssidhu@co.whatcom.wa.us>, Jon Scanlon <jscanlon@co.whatcom.wa.us>Subject: Follow-Up: No Response on Cooling Center Plans Ahead of Dangerous Heat Dear Bellingham and Whatcom County Officials, I am following up on my previous emails dated June 2, 2024, and June 3, 2025, regarding the urgent need for cooling centers as we approach another dangerously hot week. As of today, I have not received a response to the email on June 3, 2025 nor have I seen any public announcements regarding emergency cooling center availability for next week. Forecasted highs in the mid-80s—combined with direct sun and humidity—pose serious and well-documented health risks, especially to our unhoused […]
Read MoreOpen Letter to Whatcom/Bellingham Leaders – Emergency Hot Weather Cooling Centers
From: Tukayote Helianthus <emailme@tukayote.com>Sent: Tuesday, June 3, 2025 10:43:18 AMTo: mayorsoffice@cob.org <mayorsoffice@cob.org>; ccmail@cob.org <ccmail@cob.org>; hestone@cob.org <hestone@cob.org>; hahuthman@cob.org <hahuthman@cob.org>; dchammill@cob.org <dchammill@cob.org>; Cotton, Jace A. <jacotton@cob.org>; ehwilliams@cob.org <ehwilliams@cob.org>; laanderson@cob.org <laanderson@cob.org>; mlilliquist@cob.org <mlilliquist@cob.org>; council@co.whatcom.wa.us <council@co.whatcom.wa.us>; CFrazey@co.whatcom.wa.us <CFrazey@co.whatcom.wa.us>; kgallowa@co.whatcom.wa.us <kgallowa@co.whatcom.wa.us>; bbuchana@co.whatcom.wa.us <bbuchana@co.whatcom.wa.us>; tdonovan@co.whatcom.wa.us <tdonovan@co.whatcom.wa.us>; tbyrd@co.whatcom.wa.us <tbyrd@co.whatcom.wa.us>; kkershne@co.whatcom.wa.us <kkershne@co.whatcom.wa.us>; belenbaa@co.whatcom.wa.us <belenbaa@co.whatcom.wa.us>; DTanksle@co.whatcom.wa.us <DTanksle@co.whatcom.wa.us>; ssidhu@co.whatcom.wa.us <ssidhu@co.whatcom.wa.us>; Jon Scanlon <jscanlon@co.whatcom.wa.us>Subject: Re: Inquiry on Emergency Hot Weather Cooling Centers Dear Bellingham and Whatcom County Leaders, My name is Tukayote Helianthus, a Bellingham resident, certified peer supporter, and founder of Operation Water Drop—a grassroots initiative that has distributed over 60,000 bottles of water to unhoused and water-insecure residents across Whatcom County since its inception. I am writing with serious concern regarding the forecasted high temperatures this weekend in Bellingham and throughout Whatcom County. With predicted highs in the 80s in some locations and potentially hazardous heat index levels due to humidity and sun exposure, the risk of heat exhaustion […]
Read MoreOpen Letter to Whatcom & Bellingham Leaders – Gratitude for Extended Shelter Operations & Urgent Need for Warming Centers
From: Tukayote Helianthus <emailme@tukayote.com>Date: Sunday, February 9, 2025 at 14:05To: mayorsoffice@cob.org <mayorsoffice@cob.org>, ccmail@cob.org <ccmail@cob.org>, hestone@cob.org <hestone@cob.org>, hahuthman@cob.org <hahuthman@cob.org>, dchammill@cob.org <dchammill@cob.org>, Cotton, Jace A. <jacotton@cob.org>, ehwilliams@cob.org <ehwilliams@cob.org>, laanderson@cob.org <laanderson@cob.org>, mlilliquist@cob.org <mlilliquist@cob.org>, Council <council@co.whatcom.wa.us>, kgallowa@co.whatcom.wa.us <kgallowa@co.whatcom.wa.us>, bbuchana@co.whatcom.wa.us <bbuchana@co.whatcom.wa.us>, tdonovan@co.whatcom.wa.us <tdonovan@co.whatcom.wa.us>, tbyrd@co.whatcom.wa.us <tbyrd@co.whatcom.wa.us>, belenbaa@co.whatcom.wa.us <belenbaa@co.whatcom.wa.us>, DTanksle@co.whatcom.wa.us <DTanksle@co.whatcom.wa.us>, ssidhu@co.whatcom.wa.us <ssidhu@co.whatcom.wa.us>, Jon Scanlon <JScanlon@co.whatcom.wa.us>Subject: Gratitude for Extended Shelter Operations & Urgent Need for Warming Centers Dear Government Leaders, I want to start by sincerely thanking you, along with the dedicated staff and volunteers, for the recent 10-day opening of the Whatcom Severe Weather Shelter from February 2nd through February 11th. This consistent operation has been a vital lifeline for many in our community, and I deeply appreciate the efforts made to ensure our unhoused neighbors have a safe, warm place to go during these dangerously cold nights. However, I remain concerned about the lack of daytime warming centers and the uncertainty surrounding shelter operations beyond […]
Read MoreOpen Letter to Local Government: Open the Shelter!
From: Tukayote Helianthus <emailme@tukayote.com>Date: Friday, January 31, 2025 at 13:31To: mayorsoffice@cob.org <mayorsoffice@cob.org>, ccmail@cob.org <ccmail@cob.org>, hestone@cob.org <hestone@cob.org>, hahuthman@cob.org <hahuthman@cob.org>, dchammill@cob.org <dchammill@cob.org>, Cotton, Jace A. <jacotton@cob.org>, ehwilliams@cob.org <ehwilliams@cob.org>, laanderson@cob.org <laanderson@cob.org>, mlilliquist@cob.org <mlilliquist@cob.org>, Council <council@co.whatcom.wa.us>, CFrazey@co.whatcom.wa.us <CFrazey@co.whatcom.wa.us>, kgallowa@co.whatcom.wa.us <kgallowa@co.whatcom.wa.us>, bbuchana@co.whatcom.wa.us <bbuchana@co.whatcom.wa.us>, tdonovan@co.whatcom.wa.us <tdonovan@co.whatcom.wa.us>, tbyrd@co.whatcom.wa.us <tbyrd@co.whatcom.wa.us>, belenbaa@co.whatcom.wa.us <belenbaa@co.whatcom.wa.us>, DTanksle@co.whatcom.wa.us <DTanksle@co.whatcom.wa.us>, ssidhu@co.whatcom.wa.us <ssidhu@co.whatcom.wa.us>, Jon Scanlon <JScanlon@co.whatcom.wa.us>Subject: Whatcom Severe Winter Shelter – Closed on Saturday and 45% of the nights that met the 32F threshold Dear Executive Satpal Sidhu, Whatcom County Council Members, Mayor Kim Lund, Bellingham City Council, and Sheriff Tanksley, I am writing to you with urgent concern regarding the continued failures in operating the Whatcom Severe Weather Shelter, particularly in light of the Winter Storm Watch issued for our region this weekend. As of now, the Whatcom County Severe Weather Shelter is not scheduled to open on Saturday, February 1st, despite forecasted temperatures of 31°F without wind chill factored in, and significant snowfall […]
Read MoreOpen Letter to City/County Leadership: Immediate Action Required: Severe Weather Shelter Capacity Crisis
From: Tukayote Helianthus <emailme@tukayote.com>Date: Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 18:39To: mayorsoffice@cob.org <mayorsoffice@cob.org>, ccmail@cob.org <ccmail@cob.org>, hestone@cob.org <hestone@cob.org>, hahuthman@cob.org <hahuthman@cob.org>, dchammill@cob.org <dchammill@cob.org>, Cotton, Jace A. <jacotton@cob.org>, ehwilliams@cob.org <ehwilliams@cob.org>, laanderson@cob.org <laanderson@cob.org>, mlilliquist@cob.org <mlilliquist@cob.org>, Council <council@co.whatcom.wa.us>, CFrazey@co.whatcom.wa.us <CFrazey@co.whatcom.wa.us>, kgallowa@co.whatcom.wa.us <kgallowa@co.whatcom.wa.us>, bbuchana@co.whatcom.wa.us <bbuchana@co.whatcom.wa.us>, tdonovan@co.whatcom.wa.us <tdonovan@co.whatcom.wa.us>, tbyrd@co.whatcom.wa.us <tbyrd@co.whatcom.wa.us>, belenbaa@co.whatcom.wa.us <belenbaa@co.whatcom.wa.us>, DTanksle@co.whatcom.wa.us <DTanksle@co.whatcom.wa.us>, ssidhu@co.whatcom.wa.us <ssidhu@co.whatcom.wa.us>, Jon Scanlon <JScanlon@co.whatcom.wa.us> Dear Executive Satpal Sidhu, Whatcom County Council Members, Mayor Kim Lund, Bellingham City Council, and Sheriff Tanksley, I am writing to express grave concern over the severe weather shelter crisis in Whatcom County. Tonight, Saturday, January 18th, the Bellingham Severe Weather Shelter reached full capacity early in the evening, leaving over 1,000 people unsheltered during one of the coldest nights forecasted this winter. With temperatures plummeting to 25°F and wind chill making conditions even more dangerous, many in our community are left exposed to life-threatening conditions. This situation is unacceptable and constitutes an emergency requiring immediate action. Key Facts […]
Read MoreFollow-Up: Request to Open Severe Weather Shelter During January Encampment Clearing
Subject: Follow-Up: Request to Open Severe Weather Shelter During January Encampment Clearing Dear Mayor Kim Lund, Members of the Bellingham City Council, Members of the Whatcom County Council, and County Executive Satpal Sidhu, I am writing again to express my deep concern regarding the upcoming clearing of the Bakerview and Northwest Avenue encampment, scheduled to begin the week of January 20, 2025. As previously mentioned, this action will displace approximately 75–100 individuals, many of whom have no other shelter options. With the risks posed by cold weather and limited alternatives for those affected, I urge you to take immediate action to mitigate the harm caused by this clearing. Specifically, I ask that you open the severe weather shelter for 14 days starting on January 15, 2025. This step would provide a safe, warm place for those being displaced, ensuring that lives are not unnecessarily put at risk during this transition. […]
Read MoreFollow Up: The Inhumanity of Encampment Sweeps and 32F Shelter Thresholds
Dear Whatcom County and Bellingham City Leaders, This email serves as a follow-up to my November 21 letter (included below), which has yet to receive any response. The deafening silence on these critical issues is deeply troubling, especially as winter deepens and the urgency to protect our community’s most vulnerable residents grows. My earlier letter highlighted the need to raise the winter weather shelter operating threshold to 40°F and to end the harmful practice of encampment sweeps during cold weather. These are not abstract concerns—they are matters of life and death for hundreds of individuals in our community. The lack of engagement from city and county leadership on these issues is both disheartening and unacceptable. Critical Concerns 1. The Human Cost: The planned removal of 75–100 individuals from the Bakerview encampment in January, without adequate shelter alternatives or long-term housing solutions, is cruel and counterproductive. Displacing individuals during the […]
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