The Opportunity Council is a private, non-profit Community Action Agency serving homeless and low-income families and individuals. Our goal is to help people learn to become self-sufficient.

We offer a broad scope of services that range from addressing immediate and crisis-oriented needs (food, emergency shelter, eviction-prevention) to longer-term programs that promote self-sufficiency in our community (early childhood education, home weatherization). Our programs work to create positive change, both in the lives of the people we serve and in the community.

The Opportunity Council is a private, non–profit human service organization that acts as a catalyst for positive change, both in the community and in the lives of the people it serves.

Acting as catalysts and leaders in organizing whatever is needed to build stronger communities, Community Action-based programs work with partners in our communities to address local emerging needs.

Check out the following web sites for more information about Community Action Agencies

• Washington Community Action Partnership, http://www.wapartnership.org

• National Community Action Partnership, http://www.communityactionpartnership.com

• National Community Action Foundation, http://www.ncaf.org

In 1965, the Opportunity Council began as a grassroots group of volunteers and staff, working with a borrowed typewriter and furniture out of a small corner in the Whatcom County Courthouse. This Community Action model was a product of the Economic Opportunity Act signed by President Lynden B. Johnson in 1964 to help low income people.

This radical new model allowed local groups, including people with low-income, to determine the best local use of federal block grant dollars. People were charged with creating local solutions to fight poverty in their own communities.

Today, the Opportunity Council continues to be a vital Community Action Agency, one of 1,000 Community Action Agencies nationwide. Our 175 full- and part-time employees serve over 18,000 people a year.

Citizen participation is essential. The Opportunity Council, like all Community Action Agencies, is locally managed by a volunteer board of directors which includes equal representation of public officials, the private sector and people who are low-income.

• President: Kim Schuster
• Vice-President: Judi Edwards
• Secretary: Lee Grochmal
• Treasurer: Terry Greer
• Past President: Tim Shea
• Laura Cardinal
• Laurie Caskey-Schreiber
• John Dean
• Kyra Flor
• Sharon Grier
• John Manning
• Ramona Menish
• Frank Parker
• Stan Snapp
• Maria Vigil

Approximately 175 employees work at the Opportunity Council to bring services to people in Whatcom, Island and San Juan Counties.

• Executive Director: Dave Finet

• Building Performance Center: John Davies, Director
• Child Care & Family Resources: Wilanne Ollila-Perry, Director
• Community Services and Energy Services: Debbie Paton, Director
• Early Childhood Opportunities Northwest (ECONW): Dee West, Director
• Island County Opportunity Council: Lisa Clark, Director
• The Energy Project: Chuck Eberdt, Manager

• Fiscal: Mel DeJong, Chief Financial Officer
• Human Resources: Kathy Klemmer, Manager
• Information Services: Matthew Duett, Manager
• Publc Relations: Sheri Emerson, Director