LIH&W was founded in 2019 by community members who recognized that island life comes with some very particular challenges when it comes to health and wellness.

Getting to medical care often means getting on a ferry. Services that are readily available in larger communities can be much harder to access here. There was also a desire to create more opportunities for prevention, wellness, education, and connection right here on the island.

What began as a community response has grown into a broader network of programs, partnerships, and resources. The organization has continued to evolve as Islanders' needs have changed, while staying rooted in the original idea of neighbors helping neighbors.

You can hear more about our beginnings from our Board President, Bob Anderson:

Watch: How LIH&W Got Started

It really does take a village.

LIH&W is supported by a small staff, a dedicated board, volunteers, instructors, community partners, and, of course, the Islanders who participate in and help shape our programs.

Our instructors bring their own knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm to everything from yoga and Tai Chi to meditation, dance, and other wellness activities. Volunteers help with programs, events, outreach, and all the little things that make a community organization work.

And our neighbors are an important part of the team, too. People share ideas, suggest programs, introduce us to resources, lend a hand, and often tell us what they think the island needs next. We recently implemented an All-Community Survey to gather ideas from our neighbors and shared them at a dinner with almost 150 Islanders attending, along with sponsoring community partners.

That spirit of participation is one of the things that makes LIH&W feel less like an organization delivering services and more like a community building something together.

Island life is wonderful, but it requires a little more planning.

The ferry can make a routine medical appointment an all-day undertaking. Weather, transportation, mobility, distance from providers, and the availability of immediate services can all affect how easily someone can get care.

That reality shapes our work. We try to bring more resources and opportunities to the island rather than always requiring Islanders to leave the island to find them.

Telehealth support is one example. We can help Islanders navigate technology and connect with providers remotely. We also offer educational programs, home-safety resources, wellness classes, and specific health-based events like Audiology, Fall Prevention, diabetes, and blood pressure workshops, and more. We try to provide resources and services that support prevention and independence.

We're not a replacement for medical care, but we can often help make the path to that care a little easier.

You can learn more about our Telehealth program here:

Watch: LIH&W Telehealth with Pam Gould

There is quite a variety!

Our ongoing offerings include several unique Yoga offerings, Tai Chi, meditation, Kids' Dance, and other movement and wellness classes. We also offer Footcare, Telehealth support, Home-safety resources, educational workshops, community gatherings, and special events throughout the year.

We are currently launching a Health Advocacy Program that helps Islanders navigate the health-care system by offering practical support with appointments, communication with providers, understanding medical information and insurance, accessing resources, and connecting with home-care and wellness services.

The Gathering Place and Resource Center have become an important part of this work. They give Islanders a place to come together for classes, activities, conversations, and events. Sometimes the value of a program is the activity itself, and sometimes it is simply seeing a familiar face and meeting someone new.

One thing that sometimes surprises people is just how broad the definition of “health and wellness” can be. It includes physical activity, certainly, but also connection, creativity, prevention, independence, mental and emotional well-being, and having a place to turn when you aren't quite sure where to start.

For many Islanders, aging in place means being able to stay safely and independently in the home and Lummi Island community they love.

We try to support that goal through practical resources such as home-safety information, free grab bars in partnership with the Lummi Island Fire Department, a Home Safety Resource Guide, and help identifying and providing resources that may be useful as circumstances change.

We also offer programs that support strength, balance, mobility, social connection, and overall wellness.

One of the most important things we encourage is thinking about these resources before there is a crisis. It is much easier to make a home safer, learn about available services, or establish connections while things are going well than to try to figure everything out during an emergency.

Our partnership with the Lummi Island Fire Department is one example of neighbors and local organizations working together to help Islanders remain safe at home:

Watch: LIH&W & Lummi Island Fire Department Partnership

Sometimes people know they need help but don't know where to begin. That's where we can be useful.

We can help Islanders identify resources, navigate technology, connect with telehealth, and learn about services available on and off the island. We also work with community and health-care partners so that we can better understand what resources are available to Islanders.

Our goal isn't to have all the answers. It's to help someone find the next place to ask the right question.

If someone isn't sure where to start, they are welcome to contact us. We may be able to help them find a starting point.

Volunteers are woven into the fabric of LIH&W.

You don't need to be a health-care professional to contribute. There are many ways to help, such as assisting with an event, welcoming people, helping with outreach, sharing information, supporting a program, or simply bringing an idea and some time to the table.

And sometimes “neighbors helping neighbors” is as simple as noticing that someone could use a little support and knowing where to point them.

We believe community health is something we all contribute to. Every person who shares a skill, volunteers an hour, welcomes a new neighbor, or participates in a program helps strengthen the community.

There are many small moments that tell the story better than one big story. Just this week, we received these comments:

"I have been amazed at how much LIH&W has been able to organize and implement in this past year. Much-needed access to services, i.e. telehealth and foot care and so much more, and I'm sure more to come. Also, an ever-increasing calendar of classes that are for all levels of fitness, health, and well-being. LIH&W has enhanced the lives of many islanders and has cultivated and deepened a true experience of healthy community."

And from a new Islander:

"As a new islander, this past year has been one of transition. The LIHW is a hub of local action and community connection. Because of the diverse classes & activities, it helped me feel welcome."

It's the person who comes to a class because they want to improve their balance and ends up making friends. Or it's the older Islander who tells us that footcare has made something they could no longer manage at home much easier. It's someone who just wants to meet neighbors and become more a part of our welcoming island community.

And it's the instructor or volunteer who says, “I just thought this might be something Islanders would enjoy,” and suddenly a new program begins.

Those moments remind us that health and wellness are deeply connected to community.

Looking ahead, we hope to continue building a stronger network of resources that helps Islanders remain healthy, connected, and independent as our community changes. We want to keep listening to Islanders and responding to what they tell us they need — particularly as more of us choose to age in place.

Here is another example of the practical impact LIH&W can have for an Island family:

Watch: Tom & Judy Weatherby – Home Safety Testimonial

The easiest place to start is our website, where Islanders can find current programs, classes, events, and ways to connect with us:

Lummi Island Health & Wellness

Our Resource Center is also a welcoming place to stop by and ask questions. We are open Monday through Friday 9 am until Noon.

People can also reach us at lummiislandhealthandwellness@gmail.com, or leave a message at (501) 817-4121‬

And there are many ways to support LIH&W. You can attend a class, volunteer, share information with a neighbor, suggest an idea, introduce us to a potential partner, or make a financial contribution.

LIH&W is sustained through grants and community donations; class donations go directly to instructors, while donations to support LIH&W’s programs and services can be made through our website.

Honestly, simply participating is a form of support. Every person who walks through the door helps make these programs possible and helps create the community we are trying to build.