Family Support
Emergency support for families in crisis.
When families’ basic needs are met, students are able to focus, learn, and thrive.
BPSF provides immediate assistance to our most vulnerable families. In partnership with the district’s Family Engagement team, we respond quickly to urgent needs—from unexpected hardships such as illness, to broader disruptions that affect a family’s stability, such as recent immigration-related impacts. We provide support for food, housing, and access to essential services for families at these critical junctures.
A donation to the BPSF Family Support Fund puts money and resources directly into the hands of district families that need it most.
How BPSF Works with Families
Family Resource Centers
- Basic needs such as food, clothing, and housing
- Child academic and behavioral support
- Medical and mental health
- Special needs and disability
- Financial and legal assistance
- Educational and employment opportunities
- Emergency assistance
- Bellingham Public School provided resources and educational processes
In coordination with the FRC and Family Engagement team, BPSF provides emergency crisis assistance, support for basic needs, and other quick interventions to help students and their families.
For families transitioning out of homelessness, we provide tools for stability: a new mattress and bedding for each family member as well as kitchen essentials for cooking in their new home.
YES Cards
Teachers are often the first to notice when a student is struggling, whether it’s a lack of warm clothing, worn-out shoes, or food insecurity, but they don’t always have the resources to help.
The Bellingham Public Schools Foundation’s YES Card program bridges that gap. These $100 mini-grants allow teachers to respond quickly to urgent needs.
For families, a YES Card is more than short-term relief. It provides immediate support in a moment of crisis while staff connect them to longer-term resources.
