# Community Development Advisory Board Learns About Aging Services and Plans 2025 ## Meeting Overview The Bellingham Community Development Advisory Board convened on January 9, 2025, in the Mayor's Boardroom for their first meeting of the new year. Present in person were Shannon (acting chair), Jacqueline, Andrew, and Karen, while Catherine Freimund and Deidra Prado joined remotely. The meeting featured a comprehensive presentation from Rob Van Dyne, director of meals on wheels and more at the Whatcom Council on Aging, and focused on planning the board's calendar and priorities for the year ahead. With several board members having recently departed and new appointments pending, the meeting also addressed leadership transitions and engagement expectations for hybrid meetings. ## Meals on Wheels and the Growing Need for Senior Services Rob Van Dyne opened his presentation by introducing the structure of the Whatcom Council on Aging, which operates three main programs: Bellingham at Home, the Bellingham Senior Activity Center, and meals on wheels and more. The Senior Activity Center, located just a block from City Hall, serves over 350 people daily with 10 staff members and has reached a milestone of over 2,000 dues-paying members for the first time in 2024. The meals on wheels program, the organization's largest operation, employs 19 staff members and serves approximately 270,000 meals annually through both community dining and home delivery services. Van Dyne explained the eligibility requirements: "To be eligible for meals on wheels and more, the folks need to be age 60, plus, and designated as homebound where they can leave the house. But it's typically the only thing they could do in terms they have a difficulty shopping or preparing meals. Really trying to isolate our services to those with the most needs there." Van Dyne addressed common misconceptions about funding, clarifying that "A lot of people think meals on wheels is fully funded from the government through the older Americans act with the Federal Government. We receive about 30% of our funding." The city of Bellingham has provided $50,000 in recent years, representing a crucial part of their funding mix alongside client contributions, fundraising events, and partnerships throughout the county. ## Demographic Projections and Service Expansion The presentation highlighted dramatic demographic changes ahead for Whatcom County. Van Dyne shared projections from the county health department showing "a 40% increase in the age 60 plus population for the county" over the next 20 years. Even more striking, the 85-plus population is expected to grow from 4,620 currently to 14,173 over the coming years—a 207% increase. This demographic shift is driving significant expansion plans. Van Dyne announced that the Council on Aging had recently purchased a former call center building off Bellis Fair Parkway to serve as the future home of the Bellingham Senior Activity Center. The new facility will double their space from 14,000 to 28,000 square feet and include air conditioning, which the current center lacks, making summer programming challenging for heat-sensitive seniors. A key component of the expansion is the development of a central kitchen. Currently, 70% of their meals come from a third-party vendor in Seattle as frozen meals. Van Dyne explained their goal: "We are looking to bring all of that in house and start producing close to a thousand meals a day as part of the meals on wheels program. So we think we can do better than we're doing right now." ## Wait Lists and Growing Demand The organization is facing unprecedented demand. For the first time in their decades of operation since the 1960s and 70s, they are implementing a wait list for meal services. Van Dyne noted they've been "operating at close to a half 1 million dollar deficit as a Council on aging for the last few years through the pandemic, just to try to get things out." The pandemic created a spike in usage that hasn't returned to pre-2019 levels. "We've seen a tremendous spike from 2019 to 2022 in usage. And then, as the pandemic has flowed out, the number doesn't drop back to pre levels. So we're still running a very high need for the services," Van Dyne explained. When asked about potential impacts if city funding were reduced, Van Dyne said it would primarily affect wait times: "It would probably be the big. The only impact I can think of right now would be the length of time people are going to be on a wait list." ## The Human Impact of Senior Services Van Dyne emphasized the social isolation component of their work, particularly for homebound clients. "We might be their only interaction for a week. Hopefully not. But there are cases like that," he said about the volunteer drivers who deliver meals and provide daily check-ins for the most vulnerable clients. He shared a testimonial from Phil, whose caregivers were unable to remain in town over the holidays: "Between meals on wheels and the neighbors in the area they were able to help Phil maintain his independence and make sure he got a lot of food that he enjoyed." Board member Jacqueline shared her personal connection to the services, explaining she had bought her 68-year-old mother a membership as a Christmas gift despite her mother's resistance: "She is very much opposed to anything relating to the senior center whatsoever. That's for old people that's not for me." This led to discussion about combating senior isolation and the importance of community connections. ## Volunteer Infrastructure The organization's success depends heavily on volunteer support. Van Dyne reported 400 volunteers who donated over 30,000 hours of help last year, equivalent to over half a million dollars in donated labor at minimum wage. "There is absolutely no program that we can run over there without the volunteer help," he emphasized, noting that every meals on wheels route is staffed by volunteer drivers. The center operates on a "seniors helping seniors" model, where younger seniors in their 60s help older members in their 80s and 90s. Van Dyne mentioned they have a 102-year-old World War II veteran who regularly visits the center. ## Officer Elections and Board Transitions Following Van Dyne's presentation, the board addressed significant transitions. Shannon announced she would be stepping down as a board member after the NOFA (Notice of Funding Availability) process to pursue a position on a health board. Additionally, three other members—Aaron, Jake, and Josh—have recently departed due to job changes and family relocations. Staff member Kathleen reported they are actively working to fill these vacancies, particularly seeking representation from Ward 4 (the Roosevelt neighborhood area), where they currently have no applicants despite having 10-11 applications for citywide positions. The board decided to postpone officer elections until the February meeting to allow for fuller attendance and to give new members an opportunity to participate in the selection process. ## Hybrid Meeting Engagement Challenges Shannon raised concerns about board participation, particularly from remote members during 2024 meetings. "There were times where maybe we had a lot of people with cameras off online and not participating for many meetings, and that felt a little defeated in the sense that they were making the effort and were approved appropriately to be on the board, but I wasn't allowed to hear their voice," she said. This led to an extensive discussion about best practices for hybrid meetings. Catherine Freimund, participating remotely, highlighted technical challenges: "Right now, the way it's set up, I can't. There's no chat line, so like initially when I joined the group, I couldn't hear anything until right when the meeting started or something like that." The board explored various approaches, from informal encouragement to written best practices. Deidra Prado, also joining remotely and not feeling well, supported the idea of encouragement while understanding circumstances that might prevent camera use. Staff member Heather noted that different boards handle this differently, sharing that Planning Commission requires cameras on for remote participation, while CDAB operates more flexibly. The consensus leaned toward establishing informal best practices rather than mandated requirements, with suggestions for meeting facilitators to regularly check in with remote participants. ## 2025 Calendar Planning and NOFA Process The board reviewed their proposed meeting schedule for 2025, focusing heavily on the spring months when they'll evaluate funding applications. The NOFA process will begin in February with a list of applicants, followed by detailed review in March and final recommendations in April for City Council consideration in early May. Kathleen explained the scoring process involves a panel including city staff, United Way representatives, Whatcom County Health Department staff, and a CDAB member. The board will receive ranked applications with detailed scoring, then make their recommendations for funding allocations. The board discussed strategies for handling what's expected to be a challenging funding year, with more requests than available resources. Karen recalled previous years when the board established priority demographics—elderly and families with children—to guide their allocation decisions. Andrew suggested having staff provide guidance on decision-making approaches, while Catherine recommended developing talking points that board members could use when explaining funding decisions to the community. ## Agency Presentations and Learning Priorities Staff provided a comprehensive list of organizations the board could invite for presentations in 2025, excluding those who presented in 2024 to give them a break. Board members expressed particular interest in hearing from Northwest Youth Services, which has undergone significant organizational changes, and Road to Home, which several members weren't familiar with. Deidra noted the value of presentations for new members: "The grounding thing for me was the presentations. It's taught me a lot about our community." The board agreed to continue this educational component while being mindful of not overburdening organizations with frequent presentation requests. Catherine suggested ensuring presenters address their organization's full scope of services rather than just the specific city-funded program, noting that sometimes program-specific staff aren't as familiar with the broader organizational context. ## Home Share Program Initiative Staff announced an exciting new development: the city is preparing to release a Request for Proposals (RFP) on Monday for a home share program. This initiative, originally developed by former staff member Kate Bartholomew, would create a web-based platform connecting seniors with spare bedrooms to potential renters. Kathleen explained the dual benefits: "Making any spare bedrooms that they have available open for rent not only to help with their own financial situation, but also to really take advantage of the housing inventory that we have available within the city of Bellingham." The city is seeking technical assistance to develop profiles and matching services, with Kate Bartholomew contracted to handle community outreach. The board will need one volunteer to help review applications, with Shannon immediately volunteering her interest. ## Broader Housing and Homelessness Costs The meeting concluded with Shannon raising questions about quantifying the true cost of homelessness in Bellingham, referencing a San Diego study that found over half a billion dollars annually spent on homelessness-related costs. She shared an email exchange with Samya about local efforts to track costs through various programs like Grace, Ground Level Response, and the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion team. Shannon noted the challenge identified by staff: "One of the consistent issues is that those who benefit from these savings due to these kinds of programs are not always the same of those who pay the costs." The discussion touched on broader housing market issues, including Catherine's mention of the Department of Justice lawsuit against RealPage software for allegedly artificially inflating rents, which she suggested might be contributing to housing affordability challenges that eventually lead to homelessness. ## Looking Ahead The board scheduled their next meeting for February 13th, where they'll vote on officers, receive the initial NOFA applicant list, and continue planning their role in the city's funding decisions for the coming year. With significant membership changes and major funding decisions ahead, the February meeting will be crucial for establishing the board's direction and ensuring effective participation from both new and continuing members. The meeting highlighted the interconnected challenges facing Bellingham's most vulnerable populations—from aging seniors needing meal support to individuals experiencing homelessness—and the community development board's role in helping allocate resources to address these pressing needs.

### Meeting Overview The Bellingham Community Development Advisory Board met on January 9, 2025, to hear from the Whatcom Council on Aging about their programs and services, discuss meeting calendar planning for the upcoming year, and address procedural matters including future officer elections. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Community Development Advisory Board (CDAB):** A city advisory body that provides input on community development activities, reviews funding applications, and makes recommendations on housing, human, and social service grants. **NOFA (Notice of Funding Availability):** The formal process through which the city solicits applications for federal community development block grant funding from nonprofit organizations. **Meals on Wheels and More:** A program that delivers meals to homebound seniors and operates community meal sites throughout Whatcom County, serving as the largest program under the Whatcom Council on Aging. **AMI (Area Median Income):** A federal measure used to determine income eligibility for various assistance programs. The presentation noted that 93% of meals serve Bellingham residents under 50% AMI. **HUD:** The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which provides federal block grant funding that flows through the city to local service organizations. **Wait List:** A new reality for Meals on Wheels, where clients may have to wait for services due to funding constraints and increased demand post-pandemic. **Consolidated Plan:** A comprehensive planning document that identifies community needs and priority populations for federal funding allocation. **Home Share Program:** A new city pilot program being developed through an RFP process to connect seniors with spare bedrooms to renters, helping address both housing inventory and senior financial needs. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Rob Van Dyne | Director, Meals on Wheels and More, Whatcom Council on Aging | | Kathleen | City staff member, Community Development | | Heather | City staff member | | Shannon | CDAB Chair (outgoing) | | Katherine Freimund | CDAB member, citywide representative | | Deidra Prado | CDAB member at large, Cordata neighborhood | ### Background Context The Whatcom Council on Aging operates three main programs serving Bellingham's growing senior population. With demographic projections showing a 40% increase in residents over 60 in the next 20 years, and an even more dramatic 207% increase expected in the 85+ population, senior services are facing unprecedented demand. The organization has been operating at a deficit during and after the pandemic, serving increased numbers of clients while managing funding constraints. They recently purchased a new facility near Bellis Fair to eventually replace their current downtown location, planning to expand from 14,000 to 28,000 square feet and develop an in-house kitchen to produce up to 1,000 meals daily. The CDAB is preparing for their major annual responsibility: reviewing and scoring applications for federal community development block grant funding. This process involves multiple meetings in the spring where board members evaluate nonprofit organizations' funding requests and make recommendations to City Council. ### What Happened — The Short Version Rob Van Dyne presented an overview of the Whatcom Council on Aging's operations, highlighting their three programs: the Senior Activity Center with over 2,000 members, Meals on Wheels serving 270,000 meals annually, and Bellingham at Home providing assistance services. He explained funding challenges and the recent need to implement wait lists for the first time in decades. The board discussed their 2025 meeting calendar, deciding to meet in February, March, April, and May to handle the NOFA review process. They postponed officer elections until February when more members might be present. Staff announced a new home share program pilot launching soon, with an RFP going out to find an organization to manage the matching platform. ### What to Watch Next - February 13, 2025: Next CDAB meeting for officer elections and NOFA preparation - Late January: City RFP for home share program launched - March-April 2025: NOFA application review and scoring process - May 2025: Final recommendations submitted to City Council and HUD ---

**Q:** How many meals does the Whatcom Council on Aging serve annually? **A:** Approximately 270,000 meals per year between senior community meals at partner centers and home delivery programs. **Q:** What percentage of the Council on Aging's funding comes from federal sources? **A:** About 30% comes from the federal Older Americans Act, with the remaining 70% from city contracts, donations, and fundraising. **Q:** How much has Bellingham given annually to the Whatcom Council on Aging in recent years? **A:** $50,000 per year, which Rob Van Dyne specifically thanked the city for during his presentation. **Q:** What demographic increase is projected for Whatcom County seniors? **A:** A 40% increase in the 60+ population over the next 20 years, with an even more dramatic 207% increase in the 85+ population. **Q:** How many volunteers help the Council on Aging programs? **A:** 400 volunteers who donated over 30,000 hours last year, worth over half a million dollars in donated labor at minimum wage. **Q:** What major facility change is planned for the Bellingham Senior Activity Center? **A:** They purchased a former call center building near Winco/Bellis Fair and plan to move from their current 14,000 sq ft downtown location to the new 28,000 sq ft facility in 3-4 years. **Q:** What is the eligibility requirement for Meals on Wheels services? **A:** Age 60 or older and designated as homebound, meaning they can leave the house but have difficulty shopping for or preparing meals. **Q:** When are CDAB officer elections scheduled? **A:** February 2025, postponed from January to allow for better attendance and potential new member participation. **Q:** What new city program is launching through an RFP process? **A:** A home share pilot program to connect seniors with spare bedrooms to renters, featuring a web-based matching platform. **Q:** How much did Senior Day in the Park fundraiser raise? **A:** Over $94,000, with more than 1,500 attendees and 101 different senior service vendors participating. **Q:** What percentage of meals serve residents below 50% of Area Median Income? **A:** 93% of meals go to Bellingham residents under 50% AMI, with 83% serving those below 30% AMI. **Q:** Why is the Council on Aging implementing wait lists for the first time? **A:** Increased demand following the pandemic combined with funding constraints, operating at nearly a half million dollar deficit in recent years. **Q:** How many staff members work at the Bellingham Senior Activity Center? **A:** 10 total staff members: 2 full-time and 8 part-time, including 6 different fitness instructors. **Q:** When is the deadline for submitting community development recommendations to HUD? **A:** Mid-May, which means CDAB must complete their recommendations by April for City Council review in early May. **Q:** What services does Bellingham at Home provide? **A:** Light housework, ramp installation, transportation, errands, and check-in calls for 87 members who pay $365 annually. ---