The 2025 Stocking Project
The Stocking Project 2025
It’s time for the 12th annual Stocking Project, sponsored by The Firehouse Arts & Events Center.
Last year, The Stocking Project provided the NorthWest Youth Services/NWYS (a non-profit organization serving youth age 13-24 in Whatcom and Skagit Counties) with 150 hand-made holiday stockings, filled with gifts and goodies. Several additional hand-made stockings (unfilled) were provided to other local non-profit organizations to supplement their own programs, or to simply pass on to their clients for use. Thank you to all who participated in supporting this effort last year and in previous years, as this program would not be successful without you!!
Our goal this year is to continue to work with the NWYS, to be able to surprise 135 of their clients with these hand-made stockings filled with age-appropriate items. We would also like to continue to provide additional hand-made stockings to various other non-profits for their use.
However, we are just getting started with gathering gifts and goodies, and your help is much needed. Your donations must be received no later than close of business on December 14, 2025 because the stockings will be stuffed on December 15th, after which, the filled stockings will be transported to NWYS in preparation for their holiday parties.
Our liaison at the NWYS, Schantell (NWYS Senior Director of Community Engagement) has provided a very helpful breakdown of the ages of the 135 NWYS clients who will be served. This is intended to assist in ensuring that each stocking has age appropriate items. The breakdown is as follows:
∙ 10 teens (ages 13-17) residing in a 90-day shelter (“PAD Housing”)
∙ 40 young adults (ages 18-24) in Transitional Housing
∙ 60 young adults (ages 13-24) receiving services, and likely UNHOUSED
∙ 25 kids (ages 2-9) in Transitional Housing
Ideas for donations are listed below.
2025 Stocking Project Donation Suggestions:
∙ Something WARM (gloves, hats, scarves, hand-warmers)
∙ Something TECHY (phone chargers, portable speaker, battery charging pack, earbuds)
∙ Something UPLIFTING (coffee gift cards, movie tickets, restaurant gift cards, grocery store gift cards, bowling tickets)
∙ Something FUN/ENTERTAINING (small stuffed animals, playing cards, fidget toys, and ART SUPPLIES)
∙ Something HEALTHY (nuts, dried fruit, snack bars)
∙ Something for HYGIENE (quality moisturizer, small first aid kits, lip balm, etc.)
∙ Something SWEET (higher-end chocolate or candy)
Items should be in new condition, age appropriate and gender neutral, if possible. Scissors/razors/sharp items cannot be accepted.
If you would rather provide financial support to be used for buying gifts for the stockings, checks can be made out to “Firehouse Arts in Motion” noting that the donation is to be used for the Stocking Project. To make the donation tax deductible, please use tax ID: #31954. You can mail monetary donations to the Firehouse at 1314 Harris Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225.
Thank you for your participation, and Happy Holidays!
