Helpline House renovations to create more space for services

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Bainbridge Island’s Helpline House and its myriad social services will be relocating down the street for about a yearwhile its original site gets a $12 million overhaul.

It’s not just a facelift. Helpline has seen demand for its food bank services almost quadruple since it opened in 1982, as well as growing use of other supportive programs, explained executive director Maria Metzler. In order to comfortably serve its clients, the nonprofit needs more space — about 11,700 square feet, double the size of the current facility.

“When the building was designed in 1982, the population of Bainbridge Island was half of what it is today … [Overcrowding] causes all kinds of problems for our clients, including long wait times that can cause workers on their lunch breaks to miss out on food that they need. It has become unsustainable,” said Metzler in a press release. “At the same time, our community is asking for more services like our children’s mental health program, which we are providing in a space that is not built for that purpose. We’re proud that we have been so resourceful over the years, but it’s become clear that the community needs more from us than we can provide in this building.”

Until summer of 2026, Helpline House will be operating out of the former bank building at 901 Hildebrand Lane, not more than a mile from its 282 Knechtel Way location — so there will be no interruption in services. So far, HH has raised $8.47 million of its $12 million goal.

Adding more space in the nonprofit’s food services and market area is critical to meet rising demand. Metzler estimated that Helpline’s food bank serves between 100-125 shoppers per day, or up to 500 households per week. In just two years, annual visits grew by 61%, from 11,000 in 2022 to 18,000 in 2024.

“The growth in food insecurity is astounding,” said Dean Lierle, development manager at Helpline.

The updated market area will be able to serve more shoppers simultaneously and offer more storage, and will include a full-size commercial kitchen, a more discreet entrance for the privacy of clients and an after-hours autonomous “porch pantry” made of boxes by volunteers at the BARN art center.

“We’re excited to eliminate lines and waiting, but it’ll also allow us to offer more choice and an overall better shopping experience. Currently, it’s literally cheek-to-jowl — we have volunteers constantly trying to stock the shelves and running into shoppers and vice versa. It’s going to be a much more dignified and calm experience,” Metzler added.

The renovations will also accommodate another growing need: youth mental health services. In a 2021 community needs assessment, HH found that while rates of behavioral and mental health challenges have risen in children nationally, available support for those needs has not kept pace, and is increasingly out of reach for families who cannot afford specialist care.

“What we saw [in the report] over and over again was one, concern for the state of mental health for kids on Bainbridge Island, and two, a cry for help from parents of children ages 5-12 who didn’t have a resource like (Bainbridge Youth Services) – which serves teens exclusively,” said Lierle. “The need was clear and so Helpline House developed our Children’s Mental Health program to provide no-fee mental health counseling for children ages 5-12. It’s been a very popular program that frequently has a wait list.”

Nine multi-use offices on the second floor will provide space for clients to meet with case managers, group or family counseling, and other social services nonprofits like Kitsap Community Resources, the state Department of Social and Health Services and the American Legion Veterans. Hosting partner agencies and nonprofits will save clients time and effort, Metzler explained.

Above all, “access and dignity” are the most important aspects of design for a social services hub, said Lierle.

“Our goal is to serve everyone in our community who needs our help. That requires a welcoming, safe and efficient design. We are extremely excited about how this new building will deliver on the values that are so important to Helpline House and our community,” said Lierle.