About Us

We are a mission-driven, value-led team of staff, volunteers, donors, community partners, neighbors, and families working together to cultivate a better Lopez. 

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"I appreciate that LIFRC helps me out in the winter when my heating bills are higher. It means I don't have to stress about affording a school field trip or paying OPALCO."

-Community member

The Why

San Juan County has one of the highest costs of living in the state of Washington, and yet pay rates continue to reside among the lowest. Consider these statistics:
  • Over a third of residents living in San Juan County do not have enough income for a basic survival budget for rent, food, childcare, and other basic expenses.
  • This means that roughly 1,100 children and adults on Lopez who are struggling to make ends meet. (United Way/Pacific NW 2018 ALICE report)

You cannot thrive when you are too busy trying to survive. And that is exactly why we do what we do.

"We envision the Lopez community as a family in which each person enjoys a positive, meaningful quality of life, knowing our own and our neighbors' basic needs are being met."

The How

We believe the path to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging is paved with collaboration. We cannot achieve that sort of connection without you.

This is why we seek to form meaningful relationships to guide community-defined goals for a lasting impact on policy, well-being and opportunity.

We do this through:

  • Collaborative Leadership
  • Inclusive Engagement
  • Strategic Programs
  • Continuous Learning

The Mission

Our mission is to provide resources and guidance necessary to meet the basic needs of the entire community. Building on this foundation of wellbeing, we also provide educational and engagement programs, and advocate for a more just and equitable community. ​
Advocacy
We work to ensures our community has the leadership and focus necessary to influence policy and resource availability.
Well-being
We prioritize meeting the basic needs of all our community residents, starting with food and housing.
Opportunity
We seek to provide a variety of educational and enrichment programs that nurture leadership and life skills.

We offer a range of evidence-based programs within the following areas:

Advocacy

Driven by community, our advocacy programs convene diverse groups of stakeholders in order to build consensus around community needs, hold community conversations and trainings, and cultivate grassroots leadership. 

Food Programs

We believe that nutritious food is the cornerstone of health and well-being. Click on the link below to see how we are working to create a food safety-net for Lopez Island community. 

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Wellness

We look at health from a holistic perspective and seek to provide an array of traditional supports as well as social emotional opportunities for mental and emotional health. 

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Household
Support

We help members of our community gain access to the basic necessities: nutritious food, secure housing, reliable transportation, and assistance with basic utility expenses so that everyone has a foundation on which to build and thrive.

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Early Childhood Learning

Early childhood learning is important. It paves the way and stimulates a positive development toward life-long learning. Click below to see our early childhood learning programs.

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Youth Engagement

Mentorship comes in many forms, whether it is pairing your child with a trusted adult or enrolling them in one of the group mentorship or leadership programs, we have something for everyone. 

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Youth Learning

We know how important it is for children to have access to a variety of educational opportunities. Check out the youth learning programs available.

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Specialty Summer Camps

Many of our traditional workshops have been combined with our FREE Out of School Time Program, however, we continue to offer some specialty summer camps at accessible prices. 

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Our Board of Directors

Christine Gallagher – President
Ellen Evans – Vice President
Martha Martin – Secretary
Mo Crist
Darren Hoerner
Asa Kinney
Al Torres
Brooks Walton