Action League of Bellingham Launch Celebration

New Name Means Bigger Impact for Local Nonprofit at June 13 Launch Event

The Assistance League of Bellingham is now the Action League of Bellingham

The Assistance League of Bellingham is re-launching under a new name and with a renewed focus on local people and needs. The Action League of Bellingham will make its official debut on Saturday, June 13, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at a grand reopening of its beloved Thrift & Gift Shop at 2817 Meridian Street in Bellingham, WA.

The reopening event will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony unveiling the organization’s new exterior sign, music from scholarship beneficiaries, refreshments, coupons, tours of the “Cascade Best” Thrift & Gift Shop backroom operations, and a chance to meet the volunteers behind one of the county’s longest-serving nonprofits.

The organization has served the community for 44 years as a local chapter of the national Assistance League network. It is leaving that network and forming a stand-alone nonprofit to direct more resources to its programs and beneficiaries.

“We’re dedicated to action that makes a difference for people in our community,” says Sylvia Bernstein, President of the Action League. “Now every dollar you spend at our store will stay local and support that mission.”

New Name, Same Programs and Impact

While the organization is changing its name, its model and focus are staying the same. The Action League is run entirely by volunteers, and it uses proceeds from its Thrift & Gift Shop to fund programs that respond to unmet needs in the community. Last year, the money raised in the shop was used, in part, to award $74,000 in scholarships for summer camps, purchase 2,750 books for students, fulfill holiday wish lists for 120 seniors, and provide clothing to over 2000 K-12 students in Whatcom County.

Another program enables Common Threads Farms to offer free gardening and cooking camps to kids in the Kendall area.

“These camps fill a serious gap for families,” says Emily Hei, Program Director, Common Threads Farm. “Kendall is the part of Whatcom County that is furthest from food access, health resources, and childcare resources. Families have the least support from the school system over the summer.”

“For many years, the Assistance League of Bellingham has been an extraordinary source of support for children and families throughout Whatcom County,” says David VanderYacht, Superintendent of the Lynden School District. “Their volunteers have quietly and consistently stepped forward to help meet the real needs of students by providing clothing, hygiene items, wellness support, and enrichment opportunities. This year alone, nearly 200 Lynden students received clothing vouchers through their program.”

“I have found a sense of security in the Summer Enrichment Scholarship because no matter what my aspirations are for the summertime, I know the Assistance League will always be there to support me,” says Sara Yue, Summer Enrichment Scholarship recipient.

Available at Haggens across the street