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When November’s floods ravaged his community, Sumas pastor  rolled up his sleeves and got to work. 

He opened the doors of his church, the , turned the sanctuary into a donation center for food and clothes, and offered the space as a hub for city staff and federal emergency responders. 

“City Hall flooded, and so did the fire department, so the mayor and the police department all started using our building to meet,” Hammond said. “Then people started bringing clothes and donations … We gave away fans, dehumidifiers, clothes and food.” 

Now, Hammond leads the new , formerly known as Whatcom Strong, a local  that got its start in the weeks following November’s floods. 

Through partnerships with the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management and the Whatcom Community Foundation, the group has organized recovery services and financial support for locals. Currently, qualified businesses have  to apply for the Whatcom County Foundation Small Business Relief Fund, with grants of up to $5,000 available to businesses damaged during last year’s floods. 

They also have several disaster case managers contacting more than 1,500 impacted county households to evaluate remaining needs in the community.