Families in Whatcom County with young children who experienced unmet losses from last December's flooding can now apply for a new round of targeted financial assistance through the Whatcom Long Term Recovery Group. The aid is specifically aimed at households with children ages 5 and under, and it is available to families whose needs were not fully addressed by earlier rounds of disaster recovery funding.
The Whatcom Long Term Recovery Group, known locally as Whatcom Strong, is administering the funds and asks that families who are not already enrolled as clients reach out by email at claudia.wcdcm@gmail.com. Families who are already working with a disaster case manager will be contacted directly as funding becomes available for this specific program.
The December 2025 Floods and Their Lasting Impact
The storms that moved through Whatcom County between December 5 and 19, 2025, were among the most damaging in recent county history. Communities along the Nooksack River floodplain, including parts of Sumas, Everson, Nooksack, Lynden, and low-lying areas throughout the county, were hit hard. Homes were flooded, vehicles destroyed, families displaced for weeks, agricultural land inundated, and infrastructure damaged across multiple jurisdictions.
The Whatcom Long Term Recovery Group estimates the December floods affected more than 100 children ages 5 and under in Whatcom County. That figure underscores how acute the impact was on the county's most vulnerable households. Young children are particularly affected by flooding events: displacement and housing instability have documented effects on early childhood development, and the cost of replacing essential items like car seats, cribs, and children's clothing adds up quickly on top of the already significant costs of temporary housing and repairs.
What the Funds Cover and Who Qualifies
The financial assistance is made possible through the Whatcom Healthy Children's Fund Flood Recovery Program, which the Whatcom County Council approved on December 30, 2025, allocating nearly $750,000 to two local nonprofits. The Whatcom Long Term Recovery Group received $500,000 for housing stabilization, covering expenses including uninsured home repairs, rent and security deposit assistance, utility payments, and temporary lodging. Skookum Kids, a local organization specializing in support for vulnerable families, received approximately $250,000 for households dealing with additional stressors such as very low income, substance use recovery history, or domestic violence situations.
To qualify, families must have experienced flood damage or displacement from the December 2025 event, must have a child ages 5 and under in the household, and must fall at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income for Whatcom County. The income limits are as follows: household of 1, up to $66,750 per year; household of 2, $76,300; household of 3, $85,850; household of 4, $95,350; household of 5, $103,000; household of 6, $110,650; household of 7, $118,250; household of 8, $125,850.
These limits are notably more generous than many families expect. A family of four earning up to $95,350 may still qualify, reflecting the high cost of living in Whatcom County relative to local incomes.
Other Flood Recovery Resources Still Available
The Healthy Children's Fund aid is one piece of a broader recovery landscape that has been operating in Whatcom County since December 2025. FEMA Individual Assistance remains available for eligible residents, covering temporary housing, home repairs, personal property replacement, and other expenses. However, the FEMA Disaster Assistance Center in Sumas closed after Friday, July 10, making in-person federal assistance no longer available. Residents who have not yet applied can still contact FEMA by calling 800-621-3362 or by applying online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
State-level individual assistance applications closed in late April 2026. The Whatcom County flood recovery information page maintains a current list of active programs. The Opportunity Council and East Whatcom County Community Resource Center have also been serving flood-affected residents through the ongoing recovery period.
How to Get Help
The most direct path to the young children's fund aid is through the Whatcom Long Term Recovery Group. Families already enrolled as clients will be contacted by their case manager. New applicants should email claudia.wcdcm@gmail.com with their name, contact information, and a brief description of their flood-related needs. Additional information is available through Whatcom Strong's community outreach and at whatcomstrong.com.
The December 2025 floods were declared a federal disaster for Whatcom County, which unlocked resources across federal, state, and local programs. For families who have been managing without assistance, either because they did not know programs were available or because earlier aid did not reach them, the Healthy Children's Fund represents another opening to address needs that may still be unresolved more than six months after the flooding.
Funding for these programs is finite and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis among qualifying households, so eligible families are encouraged to reach out promptly rather than wait. For other local updates, see our coverage of Monday's parking minimums public hearing.
