Skagit Winter Shelter; Zoom Meeting & Write; 171 New Covid Cases; More; Tune: Eighth of January

CONTENTS 1/8/2021
Skagit Funds Winter Shelter
Attend Zoom Meeting, & Write!
COVID: 171 New Cases Thursday
Today’s Ingredients
Donations
Radio Free Fl!p: Eighth of January

SKAGIT FUNDS WINTER SHELTER

This shows one way to do it. “…county’s contribution to the shelter would be a more efficient use of the funding it has available to shelter the homeless. About 50 tiny houses and a warehouse for year round services … about $500,000 to get started, which would cover the shelters, portable bathrooms, hand-washing stations and showers. Operations are expected to cost $500,000 to $600,000 a year including social work services. The $468,000 the county budgeted for shelter in 2021 goes to renting motel rooms this winter, which is an expensive, inefficient way to house people. But because of COVID-19 that was the only option.

https://www.goskagit.com/news/local_news/skagit-county-commits-to-help-fund-burlington-shelter-project/article_ff06eae2-5ca7-50fa-bcd0-934a52ba714e.html

ATTEND ZOOM MEETING & WRITE

There will be a special joint internal work session of the Bellingham City Council and Whatcom County Council this coming Monday, 1/11/21, at 3:00 p.m., “for discussion and possible action on shelter and other issues related to homelessness in Whatcom County. “ There will not be an opportunity for public comment at the meeting. However, people can submit comments in writing before or after that scheduled event.”  I would suggest writing before, because action may be taken at the meeting. Here is a link to watch the meeting, which will be virtual. I think it would be helpful if many people could attend even though we don’t get to speak.

https://www.cob.org/ccc011121

I have heard concerns about the city hall encampment being “ended” sometime this month – which will make Monday’s meeting particularly worth listening and contributing to. Other than Swift Haven which will house around 28, and a potential low-barrier site to house another 20+, there have not yet been proposals developed for where the remaining 50 to 100 people from the camp can go to access shelter. I am deeply concerned that our most vulnerable citizens could just be driven away to be “out of sight, out of mind” without even a food tent.

Here is contact info for submitting public comments to call for immediate ample emergency shelter solutions during our hostile weather season. I’d urge writing as soon as possible so there is a chance of elected officials reading our comments before the meeting.

City Hall’s street address is 210 Lottie Street, 98225.
mayorsoffice@cob.org
ccmail@cob.org

The Whatcom County Courthouse address is 311 Grand Avenue, 98225
ssidhu@co.whatcom.wa.us
council@co.whatcom.wa.us

COVID: 171 NEW CASES THURSDAY

Our numbers leaped up stunningly 2 weeks after Christmas. This was the highest one-day total yet. Most transmission is from people who don’t show symptoms. Please protect others: wash your hands, wear your mask so it covers your nose, and keep your “Safe Six” distance. I am so sorry! (And when you come to our porch, please talk with me from the bottom of the stairs, OK?)

https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/coronavirus/article248352290.html?ac_cid=DM360659&ac_bid=-913163496

TODAY’S INGREDIENTS

We got a whole lot more Soup Brigade ingredients today, thanks to a lovely neighbor! I would love to see a lot of casseroles and other thicker meals too. We’ve got plenty of ingredients for them: 15# rice, 10# lentils, 5: 4# bags of noodles w/ holes (Ziti, penne), 10# carrots, 10# red potatoes, four 5# sacks of shredded cheddar and a sack of grated parmesan. Big tub of curry paste. Half of a 50# sack of onions. Twenty dozen eggs or so. Jars of chicken soup base. One jar of Pesto. 1# of real Butter.

We have soup pots, restaurant pans, baking pans & trays, paper soup cups and lids, two kinds of paper dinner boxes, and 2000 more grease resistant bakery bags (a little larger than the last box full. Plus 200 or so little brown paper sandwich bags. We were also gifted with 100 molded-paper clamshell 3-compartment dinner boxes.

If you visit the camp before cooking, they often have donated fresh veggies and canned goods that they can’t cook there. They’re happy to put together boxes of food for you to take home and cook for them.

DONATIONS

Folks have been dropping off tarps, tents, sleeping pads, batteries, tampons, socks, gloves, warm hats, jerky and other meat snacks, tent stakes, tents, cooking pots and pans, garbage bags, big heavy contractor bags (the extra large size can double as a bivy bag to sleep in), hand salve, and so many more thoughtful gifts! I’ve now got outreach volunteers coming by three times a week to pick up and distribute what you’ve brought. City Hall encampment still needs firewood and big sheets of cardboard, which should go directly there. I just don’t have room. I’m working on another location for donations of coats. Hang onto them just a bit longer while we figure it out. Thank you SO much!!!

RADIO FREE FL!P: EIGHTH OF JANUARY

Of course! Because today is the Eighth of January! Old Timers will remember a hit song that got hung on this tune about a battle with the British in New Orleans in 1815. It’s a great tune! And here is traditional clogging to go with it. Hillary Klug on fiddle. Collaboration With Her Hero and Dance Mentor, Thomas Maupin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTrKUM3bmVo

Love/Fl!p 360-671-4511  2518 Cherry Street flip@columbianeighborhood.org

If you’re willing to share your phone and address with me, personally, I would love that, and would not share it further without your express permission.

If you want to ask me to post something, just email me. If it’s urgent, phone. If it’s a real emergency, call 911.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *