Congratulations Circle of Life Caregiver Cooperative!

A Cascades Cooperative Member

By Kris Buettner, Circle of Life Administrator

Circle of Life Caregiver Cooperative (COL) is CELEBRATING our 15th Co-op Anniversary and we have just been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development for the 2022-2023 fiscal year, which is our third year in a row and the final year we are be eligible for this grant. That is our BIG NEWS!

The grant will allow us to provide training and certification for new caregivers and fund our Staff Development Coordinator position.

COL is also enjoying a new office in suite 508 of the Herald Building on State Street in Bellingham. The new space allowed us more room for small team meetings and more file storage.

(Editor’s note: Cascade Cooperatives is very grateful for the generosity of COL to donate space for our monthly steering committee meetings in the new office.)

The new Circle of Life office space is adorned with posters depicting the Seven Cooperative Principles and offers an iconic Downtown Bellingham view looking up Chestnut Street.

COL has been providing home care support for Whatcom elders to help them stay safely in their homes as they age. We work closely with our clients and their families to create an individualized plan of care that is designed to fit their needs. Whether it is intensive personal care or just companionship and community access, we are ready to help.

Currently, we are serving more than 45 clients and have over 25 member-owners who are caregivers for our co-op, along with other non-member caregivers. With a new Board of Directors we are making strides to move forward with our cooperative’s strategic goals.

We work closely with our network of sister home care co-ops (Heartsong Homecare in Skagit, Peninsula Homecare in Port Townsend, Ridgeline Homecare in Port Angeles, and Capital Homecare in Olympia). This unique network of home care co-ops is exploring ways to support and build stronger co-ops together.

COL looks forward to celebrating Co-op Month in October with our fellow Cascade Cooperatives (CC) member co-ops! We are dreaming of mutual benefits and marketing opportunities for CC co-ops! GO CO-OPS!!

We are always hiring! If you know anyone looking for social service work, nudge them to learn about the co-op difference at COL.

Happy Birthday, Circle of Life!