King County Councilmember Julia Patterson on June 30 delivered a van and a bit of hope to Kent Youth & Family Services (KYFS) through an annual Van Donation program.
Patterson was greeted by a crowd of grateful youth, staff, and volunteers who were eager to take a look inside the shiny, green, eight-passenger van.
“I am grateful for Kent Youth and Family Services for their commitment to our region’s youth and most vulnerable populations,” Patterson said. “It is a wonderful feeling to be able to turn the dream of mobility into reality for these organizations and those they serve.”
Each year the Council has the opportunity to select non-profit organizations that will receive a retired Metro eight-passenger van. Patterson’s delivery marked the first of three such donations. Communities in Schools Collaboration in Tukwila, and Somali Community Services Coalition in SeaTac also will receive a van.
KYFS provides professional counseling, education and support services to children, youth and their families in South King County. Services provided include early childhood education and assistance programs, Head Start classrooms, substance abuse and prevention programs, transitional housing for teen mothers, and an after school outreach program. The van will be used to transport children and youth involved in the organization’s after school and early childhood education programs.
“We are very appreciative of Councilmember Patterson’s van donation,” said Mike Heinisch, executive director of Kent Youth and Family Services. “This kind of infrastructure support is invaluable to community human services organizations, especially in trying economic times like these.”
Since 1995, the King County Council has donated vans to nonprofit groups to help meet the transportation needs of low-income, elderly, youth, or people with disabilities in King County. The vans are part of a fleet of county vehicles that have been ‘retired’ after accruing a certain number of miles. This is the eighth year that each member of the council has been able to donate vans.
The vans were donated through an annual application process. For more information about applying for a van, contact Patterson’s Office at 206-296-1005.
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