Meet our Member: Project Hope in Lynden

By Paige Teeny, Member Services Director

Nestled in between Mt. Baker, Bellingham, and the Canadian Boarder, sits the quaint town of Lynden. Even while this farming town is home to little over 12,000 people, Project Hope remains a source of "hope" for those needing emergency services. Project Hope has been serving the Lynden communities for over 30 years. While at first the food bank hopped around store front to store front, it has found it's permanent home with the Christian Hope Association. The building used to be a nursing home, which has provided the convenience of a large walk in fridge and freezer for Project Hope. Along with food, Project Hope executive director  Jim Grennell manages New Ways Ministries, which provides temporary housing to women and children in transition. When these women arrive, not only do they receive housing, but are automatically enrolled in the food bank and receive food right away to stock their fridges. 

The food bank is able to serve around 200 families a week. It is open on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays, with families coming around once a week. On site they can also help clients with housing and utility bills, and provide additional social services. They even have clothes that clients can choose from! Project Hope benefits from it's small community with volunteers coming back year after year. Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts will come in and volunteer, but as they grow, will remember the special memories spent there, and donate food. Even in this small town, there is a wait list to volunteer!

While Project Hope has a surplus of volunteers, EFAP is as ever important to this small food bank. Jim has remarked that even $1,000 would be devastating for them and have real effects on what he can provide to clients.

You can find more about Project Hope and the other services they provide here.

Where volunteers pack boxes for clients.

Redistribution center and generously large kitchen. 

Donated clothing!

Additional packing area.

The large room where Project Hope can store dry goods.