BELLINGHAM, WA. – (KGMI.com) Downtown Bellingham was recently recognized for its new program born out of the pandemic.

The Washington State Main Street Program held its annual awards ceremony earlier this month to honor projects and people that work to revitalize their downtown districts.

The Downtown Bellingham Partnership received the Organizational Excellence Award for its City Block Program.

The program was created in April of 2022 as a response to the post-pandemic challenges that downtown Bellingham faced.

It divided the downtown into districts and held meetings to encourage engagement and communication between neighboring business owners.

Connections forged during the meetings have resulted in an advocacy campaign related to drug distribution issues, alleyway improvements and the launch of the Commercial Street Block Party series.

Award presenter Breanne Durham said the program was honored for growing volunteerism and inclusivity among the downtown community.