Community Builders Award – Get your Tickets

Eco-Hip Hop Artists Come to Town

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Nationally Known Eco-Hip Hop Artists Visit to Connect Food & Wellness Issues

Nationally-recognized eco-hip hop artist and food activist DJ Cavem and his wife, lifestyle coach Alkemia, will be in Bellingham March 6 and 7 to lead a series of performances and discussions connecting healthy nutrition to wellbeing. These issues are important to all families and children, especially those living in food deserts, such as Birchwood Neighborhood.

On March 6, DJ Cavem and Alkemia will treat the entire community to a culinary hip-hop performance at Options High School’s auditorium from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Their presentation and performance will be on the importance of eating healthy to protect the human body and the environment. Earlier in the day, they hope to visit school and community gardens and learn about Bellingham School District’s Good Food Promise.

Thursday, March 7 they will perform for Shuksan Middle School students at a morning assembly. Afterwards they will be speaking on KUGS Radio and presenting at the Whatcom Prevention Coalition meeting, from 3 to 4 p.m. in the middle school’s library.

Families of 5th through 8th grade students who enroll in Shuksan Middle School are invited to a special culinary hip-hop performance from 6 to 7:15 p.m. at Shuksan Community Family Night. Come at 5 p.m. for a free community meal, and stay afterward for fun family activities like the Natural High Carnival, Dodgeball with Police and Firefighters, and a resource fair aimed at connecting healthy eating habits to prevention for physical and behavioral wellbeing. More than 20 community programs in the areas of nutrition, health and youth will provide learning activities, giveaways, food demos and resources. Free childcare is provided.

Shuksan Community Family Night aims to bridge the needs of students and their families with school and community resources on relevant issues and solutions. This year’s event aligns with Bellingham School’s Good Food Promise and the opening of the Central Kitchen, where fresh, healthy food will begin to replace frozen, processed breakfast and lunch items in schools across the district. The hope is to increase student choices and desire for healthy foods with increased awareness of how nutrition impacts their bodies and the environment.

“Adolescent brains are growing. It is a critical time of development for healthy habits. Research tells us there are connections between how young minds and bodies are fueled and their immediate and long-term mental and physical health. Choosing foods, snacks, and beverages with high sugar, high caffeine and other chemicals links to social-emotional wellbeing and to risk for substance use later in life”, explains Lisa Moulds, Whatcom Prevention Coalition coordinator. “Adolescence is a time of risk taking, but there are healthy risk taking options that benefit our young people. This event is about expanding awareness and options!”

These issues disproportionately affect families whose children enroll at Shuksan Middle School as Birchwood neighborhood is in a food desert. This means a large portion of the neighborhood is more than a mile away from a full service grocery that provides fresh food options. Families in the area have a harder time accessing healthy, affordable food.

The event is co-organized by a number of local groups including Whatcom Family Community Network, Bellingham School District and Communities In Schools.

Recognizing that food insecurity is a social determinant of health, PeaceHealth is the primary event sponsor. Significant contributions also come from the Whatcom County Health Department and the Whatcom Prevention Coalition.

DJ Cavem is considered the father of eco hip-hop, a subgenera of hip hop that aims to merge the musical style with environmentalism. He’s released multiple albums and has shared the stage with people like Nick Jonas and The Black Eyed Peas. He’s also done extensive work to promote healthy eating among youth. He has been featured in Oprah Magazine, the Huffington Post, on the Rachael Ray Show and more.

Photo Credit: New DJ Cavem Alkemia Earth Sprout That Life by DJ CaveM Photos and Pictures

Ken Gass Community Builder Award Nomination Form

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As the founder of Whatcom Family and Community Network, Dr. Ken Gass was our organization’s first connector, community builder, and advocate for the health and well-being of our Whatcom children. In his name, we celebrate people, organizations and actions that continue to strengthen community so children and families can thrive. With joy we announce that It is time to open nominations for the 2024 Ken Gass Community Building Breakfast!

WFCN is seeking nominations for efforts that highlight how individuals, groups, organizations and businesses are giving hope, supporting resilience and offering opportunities for children, youth and families to thrive. We are moving away from awards in favor of celebrating the types of efforts happening, so that we can learn more in-depth about how community building is alive and well in Whatcom County. The number of individuals or groups highlighted will be fewer than in the past (approximately five (5) will be highlighted).

The intent is to celebrate and understand local community efforts focused on ensuring children, youth and families thrive in Whatcom County. We wish to highlight efforts that are born from resident defined-goals within a resident-defined geographic area/community that:

  • Leveraged resources (time, talent and/or treasure) to increase community planning for a better future for children, teens and families.
  • Increased access to services for children, teens and families.
  • Increased connection among community members at the local level to increase social capital, trust and civic engagement.
  • Brought together residents to solve problems or face adversity by taking collective action that improves their local community to balance hope with concern
  • Created system change that shares leadership with children, teens and/or families and/or embeds resilience, wellbeing and/or protective factors into organizations and broader community systems.

For your submission to be considered, a fully completed form must be submitted. It is important that both the nominee’s current email and phone number are included for us to contact the nominee about this opportunity.

If you would like to nominate someone or a group, please click below and complete the nomination form by Wednesday, November 22, 2023..

An Important Note: The online form times out after 20 minutes. When there’s 2 minutes left, you’ll be able to extend the time for another 20 minutes. If you are concerned about it timing out on you, you may consider typing your answer in advance to the question: Please describe how the nominee has exemplified the area(s) that you selected in the previous question OR emailing info@wfcn.org to request a fillable form to submit.

Save the date to join us!

We are excited to announce that the annual Dr. Ken Gass Community Building Awards Event hosted by Whatcom Family & Community Network has been re-envisioned by our Board of Directors. For 25 years, we gathered in December to honor the efforts of community builders broadly across Whatcom County.

Starting in 2024, we are shifting the date to February and designing an engaging format to highlight the power of connection, hope and resilience in building community that supports children, youth and families.

WHAT: Dr. Ken Gass Community Building Breakfast
WHEN: February 10, 2024; from 9 to Noon.
WHERE: Dome Room in the Port of Bellingham, Cruise Terminal, 355 Harris Ave. Bellingham, WA 98225
ATTEND THE EVENT: Keep an eye out for invitations to attend this connector/networking and community building event.
We are excited to host a community building networking event that offers time to connect, inspire and hope together for stronger community to protect our children, promote the wellbeing of youth and support the families raising them.
QUESTIONS: Contact info@wfcn.org

Thank you for your nominations!

Welcome VISTA Vivian!

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Hi everyone! My name’s Vivian Chalardsoontornvatee and I’m the 2017-2018 AmeriCorps VISTA here at the Whatcom Prevention Coalition. During my year of service, I hope to connect with members of the greater Bellingham community and help build sustainability in the work that I am doing. I will primarily be involved with the youth-led prevention clubs in Whatcom County schools and the MAD HOPE Suicide Prevention Training Program.

A little background about me, I recently graduated with a degree in biology from Western Washington University and I’m working towards a career in public health. Having moved here from Spokane, WA, I quickly grew to love Bellingham and the people who inhabit it which was why I wasn’t quite ready to move away from this community. I’m a huge fan of Harry Potter and I love to cook and eat in my spare time.

I plan on posting entries on here to inform the community about WPC news, events in the community, and projects that we’re working on. I will also be posting on the WPC Facebook page with updates. I hope to spark conversation with members of the community and to help out with anything I can. You can catch me at the WPC meetings every month or contact me by email (vista@wfcn.org)!

History of Whatcom Prevention Coalition

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The current Whatcom Prevention Coalition restructured under its new name in the fall of 2009, but has existed in some form since its inception as Straight Talk About Responsibility (STAR) in Whatcom County since 1987. STAR’s original focus was to create a county-wide conversation and social-norm campaign about responsibility and alcohol use. STAR evolved into becoming a planning and oversight board for the state’s Community Mobilization Against Substance Abuse program in Whatcom County when that grant was secured in 1994. At that time, STAR expanded its focus to include smoking, marijuana, and other drugs. The Coalition created ongoing partnerships with alcohol retailers and workforce programs, a drug-free youth program, and later focused its work on partnerships with schools and universities to reduce teen and college student drinking.

In 2004, the Coalition under STAR expanded its collaboration with the health department and formed a broader Coalition, Partners in Prevention (PIP), and added education and prevention activities related to methamphetamine production and use. PIP combined its work as a planning and advisory group for the CMASA program and the county’s substance abuse prevention efforts.

In December 2006, STAR announced its intention to dissolve and the Whatcom Family & Community Network (WFCN), a local non-profit with a similar prevention and mobilization mission, was approached to apply for the CMASA contract. WFCN merged with STAR and then became the CMASA Policy Board. When the Partners in Prevention waned in 2008, the organization’s Board of Directors agreed to expand its board representation and act as the Coalition until the Coalition could reform.

At a September 2009 meeting, the coalition reconvened as a separate entity to focus on the prevention of youth substance abuse and officially apply for the Drug-Free Communities Support Grant with WFCN serving as the grantee for the Coalition. The current group of Coalition members includes some of the original members from STAR in 1987 and new partner representatives. The group renamed itself the Whatcom Prevention Coalition and reaffirmed the earlier risk and protective factor model but expanded to acknowledge new promising practices, the work of the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets, the Asset-Based Community Development Institute’s principles of citizens’ gifts and leadership, and the Family Support Principles that recognizes the value and sustainability of citizen and parent-led initiatives.

Drug Free Communities Support Grant
Originally funded by Congress in 1997 with the understanding that local problems need local solutions, the Drug Free Communities program now supports over 700 drug-free community coalitions across the United States. The grants support coalitions of youth; parents; media; law enforcement; school officials; State, local and tribal government agencies; healthcare professionals; and other community representatives. The DFC program enables coalitions to strengthen their coordination and prevention efforts, encourage citizen participation in substance abuse reduction efforts, and disseminates information about effective programs.

Most Washington teens reject alcohol and other drugs

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Most Washington teens reject alcohol and other drugs

Healthy Youth Survey explores attitudes and behaviors of middle and high school students

Contact: Kelly Stowe • Department of Social and Health Services • 360-902-7739 • Kelly.Stowe@dshs.wa.gov

OLYMPIA-Results for the 2016 Washington Healthy Youth Survey (HYS) show that teen rates of substance use in our state have remained mostly unchanged since the last survey was taken in 2014, and that most teens avoid alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and other drugs.

“The health, safety and economic impacts of substance use disorders affect many individuals, families and communities in our state, and a wide range of organizations at all levels are partnering to prevent them,” said Governor Jay Inslee. “A big thank you goes out to all of the students who took time out of their busy school days to take the Healthy Youth Survey. This survey provides crucial information on adolescent health, behaviors and perceptions. It helps us in making the right decisions to ensure that the next generation is the Healthiest Next Generation.”

The HYS is taken every two years by students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12, who voluntarily answer a wide variety of questions about their health behaviors. In the fall of 2016, over 230,000 students in over 1,000 schools from 236 school districts in all 39 counties took part. The survey provides state and community organizations with needed information about which teen health issues to focus on.

One of the concerning changes since the last survey is that the percentage of 8th graders who believe there is great risk in using marijuana has declined from 53 to 48 percent. Since marijuana is now more visible in communities with advertising and retail stores, state and community organizations and schools have increased education and prevention efforts to discourage underage use. These efforts may be helping to prevent an increase in use, with 17 percent of 10th graders reporting use in the past month, which has not changed since 2014.

Preventing underage drinking has long been a statewide priority, and alcohol use by 10th graders has dropped by 12 percentage points since 2006. However, the number of students who use alcohol has not changed since 2014. In 2016, one out of five 10th graders (a total of about 16,737 students) drank alcohol in the past month. Alcohol plays a significant role in all three leading causes of death among youth: injuries, suicides and homicides.

The number of teens who said they drove a car after using alcohol or marijuana is cause for alarm. More than half (51 percent) of the 12th graders who reported marijuana use in the past 30 days said they had driven within three hours of using marijuana.

E-cigarette/vapor product use significantly dropped from 2014 to 2016, but remains a concern because of its prevalence and association with other tobacco and substance use. E-cigarette use in the past month among 10th graders dropped from 18 percent in 2014 to 13 percent in 2016. Over twice as many 10th graders reported vaping (13 percent) as smoking cigarettes (6 percent), and 65 percent of 10th graders who vaped reported using marijuana.

“Growing up is difficult. The issues facing our youth today are big and have serious life consequences. Parents, teachers and agencies all help guide youth when facing these challenges” said Pat Lashway, Acting Secretary for DSHS. “This information will help the ’helpers’ drive home the true impact of drugs on the young developing brains before it’s too late.” Because the teen brain is still developing, alcohol and other drug use can cause more severe and permanent damage compared to those who start using at age 21 and older. National data identifies the risks such as poor grades and not graduating, due to problems with memory and concentration; serious injuries and death from driving under the influence; unwanted and/or unplanned sexual activity; addiction; depression and anxiety with long-term use.

Parents and guardians are the number one influence on children’s decisions about alcohol and other drugs. All adults can help teens avoid the negative consequences of substance use by talking with them early and often about the risks, locking up any alcohol, marijuana or prescription drugs in the home, reminding them that most of their peers are making healthy choices, and having clear rules and consequences to discourage use. Visit StartTalkingNow.org for proven tips on how to talk, monitor and bond with teens. For more information about the survey, including other results and fact sheets, visit the HYS website.

Washington state is recognized nationally as a leader in supporting evidence-based prevention practices and collaborating with community-based prevention organizations. Survey results for mental health, nutrition, physical activity and school engagement will be analyzed and released over the next few months.

The survey is a collaborative effort between DSHS and the Department of Health (DOH), the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB). The results provide state and local organizations with needed information to plan, implement and evaluate publicly funded programs.

Whatcom Family &
Community Network

2303 Moore Street

Bellingham, WA 98229

info@wfcn.org

360.738.1196

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