Submitted by Lydia Place
On Thursday June 2, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Depot Market Square, Lydia Place, along with event partners Whatcom County Association of Realtors, The Beauty Institute-Schwarzkopf Professional, and Labels Consignment, present Handbags for Housing, Downtown Bellingham’s largest philanthropic fashion show and handbag exchange. Limited tickets are still available for the sell-out 400 person event, with all proceeds benefitting services and housing for local homeless families.
Now entering its fourth year, Handbags for Housing is poised to set a new standard for community collaboration and local partnership, while demonstrating the importance of keeping large-scale events in Downtown Bellingham.
Handbags for Housing is the brainchild of Lydia Place Executive Director, Emily O’Connor, who saw the event as an accessible idea to raise funds for critical services and housing for homeless households in Whatcom County, while encouraging conscious fashion, and showcasing the Lydia Place community thrift store Wise Buys.
“I wanted to add an event that showcased our incredible thrift store Wise Buys, while giving our community and supporters a new and affordable way to come together,” said Lydia Place Executive Director Emily O’Connor. “And with all the purses in all of our closets, it’s a great way to promote refashion while raising awareness and funds for those in need.”
In its first year Handbags for Housing was an immediate success, opening to a sold-out crowd, and grossing over $10,000, quickly establishing itself as a Bellingham staple and adding an exciting night of entertainment and shopping that anyone could enjoy. With a quick move in year two to Depot Market Square in Downtown Bellingham, the weekday happy-hour styled event doubled its capacity and sales, and by year three, the event saw event revenue rise to over $42,000, with over 300 people in attendance.
With a swelling audience, and approaching maximum venue capacity, event organizers grappled with the reality that a change of venue, and a possible transition from Downtown Bellingham was imminent. This prompted discussions with City officials, local businesses, and alternative county venues, in a search for a solution to the challenging issue of space and capacity, for large-scale events.
Organizers were challenged to find a venue that would allow the event to remain centrally located and accessible, while still accommodating the anticipated 300+ attendees. The City of Bellingham, recognizing the importance of community involvement in issues such as homelessness, and keeping positive community events and engagements in the city core, worked vigilantly with Lydia Place to find a solution; the answer was closer than it seemed.
City officials, parking, parks and recreation, and ultimately Mayor Kelli Linville, agreed to allow the use of the adjacent Depot Market parking lot for the one-day event for the inclusion of a large scale fashion tent, allowing the event to grow, and as trial for all future weekday rentals.
The City of Bellingham and Lydia Place collectively recognized that so much was to be gained by keeping Handbags for Housing and other events centrally located in Downtown Bellingham, while also recognizing the needs of permit holders and businesses.
“These types of events are so important for our downtown, and our community in general,” said Darby Cowles, a senior planner with the City. “They bring people downtown who might not otherwise visit, and also have a multiplier effect when attendees eat, drink and shop before and afterward. We are happy the City found an experimental solution to keep Handbags for Housing at Depot Market Square this year and hope we might be able to accommodate this event and others of its size in the future.” Permit holders who normally park in the lot during the week were provided with the option of parking for free on the street or in an alternate City lot in order to accommodate the event.
In the past two years, homelessness has visibly increased in the downtown core. This increase impacts local business and the public, and can create challenges for law enforcement, service providers, and emergency responders. Keeping Handbags for Housing in Downtown Bellingham not only brings attention to the issue of homelessness but also highlights the importance of preserving and promoting opportunities for positive downtown public engagement.
“The Downtown Bellingham Partnership is committed to having an open dialogue with all our downtown neighbors about safety, security, and the encouragement of positive downtown engagement.” said Alice Clark, Executive Director of The Downtown Bellingham Partnership. “This is a topic that many entities feel passionate about, and affected by, and we are always encouraged by events and conversations that promote the values of our organization, and that positively consider those that live, work and play in Downtown Bellingham.”
In addition to promoting commerce and community in Downtown Bellingham, Handbags for Housing encourages attendees from across the economic spectrum to get involved in philanthropy. Event attendees are able to purchase a ticket for just $25, plus a gently used handbag. This accessible price provides hundreds in our community an opportunity to be a part of breaking the cycle of poverty, and becoming aware of the faces and causes of homelessness.
Handbags for Housing, and Lydia Place itself, are a collaboration of local community members and partnerships. The organization’s operational budget is largely comprised, nearly 70%, from local community dollars. This local dedication makes for a very positive programming catalog as the organization is able to shift gears quickly and focus on immediate and ever-changing community needs.
The story of Lydia Place is a love letter between the community and the more than 300 homeless families it serves every year, and this event showcases the history and future of that very theme. “I’m thrilled we are able to keep the event in Downtown,” said Lydia Place Development and Outreach Director Shultzie Willows. “Like so many of the services our organization offers, the heartbeat of our community lives in Downtown Bellingham. So many individuals have come together to make Handbags for Housing possible. We live in an incredible community that believes so strongly in its people.”
Because of the involvement and support from the City of Bellingham, and other local partners, this year’s Handbags for Housing is seeing big changes and exciting growth. With an emphasis on expansion of its runway show, new partnerships with sponsors, and an integration of retail and exhibit vendors, the evening event is set to break records and prove the impact our community can have when it comes together in the spirit of fun and philanthropy.
Tickets, sponsorship, and handbag donations available by visiting handbagsforhousing.com.
For additional event images, quotes and event details email shultziew@lydiaplace.org.
