Where victory gardens live

Important Dates

🪏January 17 11am-2pm MLK Jr. Day of Service Community Work Party at Squalicum Creek Park. 

  • Sign up here.

  • Together, we'll plant native trees and shrubs to restore habitat in Squalicum Creek Park near Willow Spring. 

  • Our work will be supporting salmon habitat recovery, improving water quality, in an effort to advance environmental justice efforts in alignment with Dr. King's vision of clean air, water, and healthy communities for all.

  • Tools, gloves, instructions, Tony's coffee, snacks, pizza, and FREE bike valet are provided. All ages and abilities are welcome. No previous volunteer experience needed. Walking and bicycling are encouraged.

  • Volunteers are encouraged to bring shelf-stable food donations for Birchwood Food Desert Fighters to this work party.

  • This event is partnering with Birchwood Food Desert Fighters (BFDF) to collect shelf-stable food donations for their efforts in promoting equitable food access to the community. BFDF supports our community through weekly events, food share boxes, food delivery, farming, advocacy, and more. Volunteers are encouraged to bring donations to this work party to support BFDF's work. 

  • Even if you don’t sign up ahead of time, please come!

    ✊January 19 10am-2pm MLK Day of Service event at Bellingham High School

  • Spend your Monday with the Community Consortium for Cultural Recognition, a partnership of local education, city, and nonprofit organizations. 

  • This event includes a panel of community leaders.

  •  Free community breakfast, speakers, workshops, and hands-on activities

  •  Service Projects start at noon

🧑🏻‍🤝‍🧑🏾 January 27 6:30-8pm: Community Meeting at Birchwood Elementary School. 

  • As a community, we will explore ideas for a $5000 Project Neighborly grant. Please come and give your input!

  • Project Neighborly Grant funds neighborhood initiatives for people who have great ideas about how we can all become better neighbors by bringing people together that might not otherwise meet. Whatcom Community Foundation will award grants (up to $5,000 each) to support inspiring, actionable, relevant projects and activities that develop a sense of community and promote neighborliness throughout the rural and urban areas of Whatcom County.

  • See ideas from our 2024 community brainstorming session.

  • For 2026, we will start a new tradition at our community meetings - pizza! 🍕🧑🏻‍🤝‍🧑🏾Tues, Jan. 27 is our next Community meeting

🧑🏻‍🤝‍🧑🏾Tues, March 24 Community meeting

🧑🏻‍🤝‍🧑🏾Tues, May 26 Community meeting

🧑🏻‍🤝‍🧑🏾Sun, June 28 Birchwood International Market

Please make sure you are signed up for our newsletter to keep up to date!

We are grateful for all who participated in our 2025 Membership drive! We had almost twice the voting members we had last year!

Let’s deepen connections and get to know more neighbors.

Thanks to all our neighbors who displayed signs and worked so hard to defeat the metal shredder. Several of us are continuing to work with county and city officials to advocate for the Birchwood and Alderwood neighborhoods in the upcoming Comprehensive Plans (due at the end of 2025). With a Heavy Impact Industrial (HII) Zoning in our backyards, it is important that the County and City safeguard our neighborhoods, while providing sound and sustainable economic opportunities and affordable housing options. If you would like to get involved in these advocacy efforts, please reach out to us at birchwoodboardmember@gmail.com.

Thank You! 🙌