The Open Hands story
Poverty and hunger are real for Whatcom County children
Kids that lack access to food are more likely to experience development impairments in areas like language, motor skills and behavior. If a child is hungry they are unable to focus on areas of growth to make them successful.
Not every elementary student in Whatcom County has enough food to last the weekend. Calvary Creekside’s church community, with the help of the local community, aims to change that situation. Funded by the church and community partners, Open Hands packs bags full of kid-friendly, easily prepared food for students to take home on Fridays, calculated to last through the weekend.
Open Hands started small, serving 30 students at Lynden’s Isom Elementary in November 2017 with weekend meals to bridge the gap of hunger in their homes. The Calvary Creekside church and other community members responded with overwhelming generosity, leading to Open Hands rapidly expanding into elementary schools throughout three districts in north Whatcom County.