Pea Patch Community Campus:
Food | Shelter | Wellbeing

“We have been unhoused at least five times in the past 15 years, living in unheated garages, tents and an 8×10’ shed,” explained Mariah Armenia. “We are on the waiting list for the Pea Patch townhomes and can’t wait to have a stable place to call home and a kitchen to cook in. It’s the dream that keeps us going.”

The Pea Patch Community Campus is an innovative collaboration of three long-time island non-profit organizations: OPAL Community Land Trust, Orcas Community Resource Center and the Orcas Island Food Bank. The campus will offer vital social services accessible to all islanders seeking support – within walking distance to Eastsound Village and in close proximity to 80 existing low-income apartments. 

The new permanent home for the Community Resource Center will allow for expanded capacity, space for greater client privacy, and development of new programs – today and for future generations – to help islanders meet essential basic needs such as housing, utilities, health and medical, transportation, food access, and also house the Coates Cabinet hygiene bank. The current DRAFT site map (below) shows the location of buildings, stormwater mitigation features and traffic flow.

Environmental design is incorporated into the site and buildings. The Food Bank and Resource Center buildings will be designed according to Passive House principles and will achieve a LEED Silver certification. Passive House principles guide the design process to achieve near net-zero energy consumption and LEED certification evaluates a building’s sustainability in several areas, including energy and water efficiency, waste management. A solar + battery storage microgrid is planned to offset most of the energy demand for the campus. Also, stormwater retention and rain gardens are included to improve stormwater management on the property.

The new Food Bank will include expanded storage, freezer and refrigeration space, more efficient delivery and distribution spaces, a commercial kitchen to provide meals, support food processing and provide food education classes. With increased capacity and storage space, the food bank will be able to use their expanded ability to receive and distribute goods as a part of the San Juan County Department of Emergency Management plan in times of disruptive events or natural disasters.

TIMELINE:

• Community Site Design Workshops: Spring-Summer 2024
• Site Design Complete: October 2024
• Report Back to Community: October 29th, 5pm @ Emmanuel Episcopal Parish Hall
• Site Permitting: Winter 2024-2025
• Site Work: Spring-Summer 2025
• Housing Construction: Spring 2026
• Resource Center/Food Bank Construction: Spring 2027

*note: timeline is an estimate only, dependent on permitting and fundraising success

FUNDRAISING PLAN:

El Ostara Group is contracted to help the Pea Patch team develop a successful and strategic fundraising campaign to build the campus. The total goal for the Pea Patch Community Campus campaign is estimated at $48M and 40% has been raised, as of February 2025.

LINKS:

Rep. Lekanoff Sponsors Pea Patch Funding Request – March 11, 2025
Presentation: Pea Patch Update and Microgrid Study – March 10, 2025
OPAL to Provide Housing with Supportive Service on Pea Patch Lane – Orcasonian September 3, 2024
Pea Patch Project: OPAL to Acquire Land – OPAL November 19, 2023

To learn more about the project, contact Suzanne Olson at 360-622-0850.