Habitat for Humanity's 19th Annual Raise the Roof Auction

On Thursday, October 7th, Habitat’s Raise the Roof Auction will be back with opportunities for the community to participate both live and online. As always, all proceeds from the Raise the Roof Auction will go towards building safe, affordable housing here in Whatcom for our neighbors who need it the most. Every time you bid, you are helping families achieve strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter. Registrations for the online auction are open now, with over 100 items up for view. Bidding will start on October 4th, and end at midnight on October 7th. These Auction items were donated by dozens of local businesses here in Whatcom, including Village Books, The Black Cat, Black Drop Coffee House, Pizza’za, the Pickford, Eclipse Bookstore, Greene’s Corner, Mt. Baker Theater, Goods Local Brews and many many more, as well as a wide variety of handcrafted pieces donated by local artists and artisans. Along with the online auction, Habitat will be hosting a cocktail party under the tent at the beautiful Lairmont Manor from 6pm to 8pm on October 7th. It will be a casual cocktail evening of hearty hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine, cider, games, bidding, music and Trashion Show. You do not have to be present at the cocktail party to participate in our auction, or the raffle, but all are welcome! You can purchase tickets by visiting us at, charityauction.bid/2021RaisetheRoofWhatcom Anyone can enter for a chance to win a brand new 8×10 shed valued at $5,000. (The winner can choose $2,000 cash instead.) The shed will be painted the color of the winner’s choice, and will be delivered for free by Ram Construction anywhere within Whatcom County. Some exceptions may apply depending on site conditions and inspection by a Ram project manager. Tickets cost $10 each or a bundle of 5 for $40, and will be for sale at the Habitat Store as well as pop up events around town. Habitat for Humanity envisions a world where everyone has a safe, decent, affordable place to live. As rent and home prices continue to skyrocket in Whatcom County, more and more families are being forced into substandard living conditions — overcrowded, unsafe, or cost burdened. Families are often having to sacrifice healthy food, medicine, time with their families and much more in order to pay rent. With the belief that homeownership is the best way to break the cycle of generational poverty, Habitat is redoubling its efforts to create more opportunities for Whatcom families to own their own homes, and own their own futures. In partnership with Kulshan Community Land Trust, and the Whatcom Community Foundation, Habitat’s construction team and volunteers are hard at work on the next four units of the Telegraph Townhome Community on Telegraph Rd. This project will bring over 50 permanently affordable homes to Bellingham. Families have begun moving into the first 8 units this past month. Habitat is also close to finishing another single family home in Sudden Valley, as well as two tiny homes, which will be transported to Bellingham’s Unity Village, and serve as transitional shelter for our neighbors experiencing homelessness. All of the funds raised through our Raise the Roof Auction will go towards these, as well as future projects. If you’d like to attend our Cocktail Party at the Lairmont Manor, view items for sale, or make a direct donation to our construction efforts, you can visit our auction website. Habitat is also in great need of volunteers to help finish these homes in time for the holidays. Visit our website at hfhwhatcom.org to learn more about current projects and to sign up to volunteer. If you’re looking for the easiest way to help bring affordable housing to our community, you can shop or donate your unwanted items at the Habitat Store.