Friendship House adds to its services

Jan. 18--MOUNT VERNON -- For nearly five years, Lynda Lizama has been spending her nights in motels, homeless shelters or on friends' couches.

Thanks to Friendship House, she'll celebrate her 68th birthday Friday in a room of her own at Barbaras House.

Barbaras House, which opened Wednesday, provides five units of permanent low-income housing to those who stay at Friendship House's shelter, said Friendship House Executive Director Tina Tate. It's an example of the Mount Vernon nonprofit's expanding services.

"It's my forever home," Lizama said. "And it's all thanks to Tina."

The project is named after the first three executive directors of Friendship House, who were all named Barbara.

Lizama, an Army veteran, said she is paying $450 a month for the room at Barbaras House -- less than half of what she paid at her last residence.

Like the other four tenants, Lizama is on fixed government assistance such as Social Security Disability Insurance and has no way to keep up with the rental market in Skagit County.

"The idea is that, for most people, they don't have to spend all their money just to live," Tate said.

Utilities, toiletries and other basic living expenses are covered by Friendship House, she said. Tenants can also eat at the Friendship House Café if they don't want to cook their own food.

"Everything is going to be provided for them," Tate said.

With the money Lizama is saving on rent and utilities, she said she hopes to be able to see her grandchildren in Utah and California.

Friendship House has been working on renovations to the building since buying it in 2016.

About $70,000 in renovation costs went toward new flooring, a new roof, plumbing repairs, a fire alarm system and a new kitchen and bathrooms, Tate said.

Several local businesses, including Carpet One in Mount Vernon, donated time to the project.

"When you're a nonprofit -- asking people to do things for free or at a discount -- things take time," Tate said.

She said she and the rest of her organization learned a lot from the process and are looking for another opportunity to help address the county's lack of affordable housing.

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-- Reporter Brandon Stone: bstone@skagitpublishing.com, 360-416-2112, Twitter: @Brandon_SVH

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