SEJC Update: Whatcom Faith Community Immigrant Support (WFCIS) Newsletter
Whatcom Faith Community Immigrant Support (WFCIS) Newsletter
April 14, 2026
We are people of faith seeking to support immigrants in Whatcom County. Though our traditions are diverse, we share the value of celebrating and defending our immigrant neighbors.
IRIS Benefit – Please Support Our Important WFCIS Partner
Join the Chuckanut Health Foundation and Sisterhood for Democracy in a fun evening to support immigrants in our community. All proceeds will go to IRIS to support local immigrant families in crisis. IRIS is prioritizing serving families that have had a loved one detained and/or deported. The single parents left behind are struggling to get their most basic needs met, while trying to provide their children with the best possible future. www.irisnw.org
Saturday, April 18. 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Hotel Leo
1224 Cornwall Ave, Bellingham
Tickets $40
Benefactor $250
Food and beverages available for purchase at Amendment 21, in the hotel lobby 100% of proceeds will go to IRIS.
Tickets https://chuckanuthealthfoundation.charityproud.org/EventRegistration/Index/26659
Thank You for an Inspiring Evening
Garden Street Methodist Church, the Resistance Singers, and the Rev. Justin White provided an inspiring evening of music, reflection, and hope on March 27th. It was so good to be together and to remember those who have lost their lives due to ICE actions and detention. Thank you all for making this special event available for all.
General Meeting
General Meeting: April 16th, 1:00 In Person
First Congregational Church, 2401 Cornwall
Mt. Baker Room
Food Donations
The need for food security for those living in the shadows and fear continues to grow for Whatcom families. The major item on our agenda in April will be a discussion of new partnerships and new ways to work with additional/ local agencies to serve our Whatcom County neighbors. Updates on family liaisons, Mother’s Day surprises, and additional support will also be on the agenda. Come prepared to work in small groups and share ideas.
Food Donations for Tuesday, April 14, 2026
First Congregational Church
North Entrance Social Hall 10:45 – 11:45
Donations that Work Every Week:
Eggs
Yogurt, queso, and mozzarella cheese
Cilantro, Any kind of peppers, Roma tomatoes
Apples, Cutie oranges, bananas, limes
Special items requested this week:
Size 7 Diapers – desperately needed.
NEW Sign-Up Genius – Please Sign-up
We now have a new Sign-up genius account that we hope will be easier to use. It really is a help to the coordinators if you sign upso we know how many people will be available to help on any Tuesday. Please email us at WhatcomFCIS@gmail if you continue to have problems signing up and want to be a part of the fun on any Tuesday.
Tuesdays 10:45 – 1:00 – Receive and organize food donations, fill boxes, and help load delivery vehicles.
April Sign-up for Food Boxes
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4CADAA2FA6FB6-62816413-wfcis
May Sign-up for Food Boxes
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0548ADAC2FA4FFC25-63542303-may2026
Tuesdays 12:00 – 12:45 – Transport food boxes from Food Bank to First Congregational church. Many of our transport volunteers find this suits a busy schedule over the lunch hour. We use three vehicles that can hold approximately 20 food boxes at one time.
April Sign-Up for Transport (MAY Sign-up coming)
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4CADAA2FA6FB6-62816512-transport
Supporting our immigrant neighbors is a community effort.
Highlighting an IRIS Supported Family
The situation for Immigrants living in Skagit and Whatcom Counties has become more fragile. IRIS is currently working with several mothers who are doing their best to hold their households together while trying to prevent their spouses from being deported after they are detained when they were on their way to work. One of these mothers is *Elena, who has three children: a five-year-old, a three-year-old, and a five-month-old. Her husband has been in detention for almost three months now, and she has been struggling to keep up with the bills, secure legal representation for him, and gather evidence showing that he has been in the U.S. for over ten years and is a man of good character.
These past three months have taken a toll on Elena's health. IRIS staff can visibly see how much weight she has lost, and staff continually encourage her to see a doctor, but she insists that she is fine. Her children's physical and mental health have also been affected. They used to rarely get sick, but now they are frequently ill, and they have become more anxious. IRIS supports Elena with weekly calls, rental assistance, covering some of the immigration lawyer's fees, and connecting her to other community resources.
Provide funding for legal services and rent support: IRIS, Immigrant Resources, and Immediate Support, www.irisnw.org
Become trained as an ICE observer: WAISN, Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network, www.waisn.org
Become a trained accompaniment driver for those attending court hearings: WAISN, Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network, www.waisn.org
Support groups that are providing information for the community and immigrant families:
League of Women Voters Immigrant Committee, https://www.lwv.org/other-issues/immigration
Northwest Immigration Rights Project, NWRIP, www.nwrip.org
RenewNW, renew-nw.org. A new non-profit hoping to provide a coordinating information hub for immigrants.