Blue Skies Programs and Services

Our Little Wishes Enrichment Program

Grants Little Wishes for ongoing support of lessons and activities including, but not limited to, art lessons, music lessons such as piano, violin or guitar, as well as martial arts, team sports, individual activities such as swimming lessons, dance, ballet, gymnastics, ice skating, ice hockey, horseback riding, and soccer.

Our One-Time Little Wishes Program

Grants Little Wishes for support of school trip fees, summer camp enrollment fees, bicycle and helmet, special needs equipment, tutoring, computers, school related supplies such as a scientific calculator, or an ASB card (required to participate in school sports), sports fees and/or uniforms, cleats, and other items. The Little Wish requests we receive are unique to the needs of each child.

Our Little Wishes Instrument Loaner Program

Loans musical instruments to children who wish to participate in their school band or orchestra, but find they are unable to afford the monthly rental cost of an instrument.

Our Back-to-School Program

Provides children in need with a voucher to obtain clothing, shoes, underwear, socks, and a warm coat. This program allows children in need to go back to school with their heads held high, proud to have a new outfit and shoes that fit just right. This program is available annually in August and September. 

Our Emergency Program

Provides emergency clothing and/or a backpack and school supplies for children who are in  emergent or dire distress. Children are referred to Blue Skies by The Red Cross, the Opportunity Council, Lydia Place, WomenCare Shelter, our schools, and other agencies. Children who receive services from our emergency program have experienced, for example, a house fire and have lost everything, or have escaped a domestic violence or sexual assault situation and are suddenly living in a shelter, having left home with only the clothes on their back. Schools refer children who are homeless and “couch surfing” and in need of a coat, shoes and clothing. 

The Alex Pempe Youth Runners Fund

In memory of 19 yo Alex Pempe, this fund has been established to support children in need who love to run and  participates in school track  or cross country and needs running shoes, or wish to participate in a running based meet, competition or other event that requires entrance fees.

The Josh Fueston Memorial Swim to Live Fund

In memory of 19 yo Josh Fueston, this fund has been established to support children in need who love to swim and wish to participate on the Bellingham Bay Swim team.  The fund also offers help with swim meet fees, swim lessons, developmental delay swim therapy & supplies, and pool passes.

Driver’s Education Scholarship Program

Unfortunately, many low-income and homeless families in Whatcom County need their teen children to contribute to the family income just to get by and bus transportation is not always an option throughout the county. This is a new program to help our local teens (ages 15 to 17) overcome the cost associated with driver’s education fees. This program requires an application, a completed essay, teacher and parent reference letters, and other documents. Just three scholarships are awarded in Spring and three in Fall to candidates meeting all application requirements and income eligibility requirements. The Scholarship contributes $325 toward the $425 Driver's Education fees. Teens are required to have a car available to them and auto insurance.    

Click here to download    Drivers Education Scholarship Application

Our Sponsor-A-Child Program    

Offers our donors an opportunity to support a child right here in Whatcom County. The program assigns one sponsor to one child enrolled in an ongoing enrichment activity. Although the two shall never meet in person, the sponsor will receive a photo of their child, their age, their personal story and quarterly updates on the child’s growth and progress in their activity. Cost to sponsor a child is $50 per month. Our community has responded overwhelmingly positive to this program as 100% of each monthly donation is designated to direct services in support of their child.