Phillips sponsors donating retired county vans to community organizations in Queen Anne, Magnolia, and Phinney

September 12, 2011

Summary

Vans will be put to new use transporting elders, youth, and meals to those in need

Story

United Indians of All Tribes, Phinney Neighborhood Association, and the Bayview Retirement Community will all receive used King County vans to use for community programs thanks to legislation sponsored by Metropolitan King County Councilmember Larry Phillips.

“Service organizations in Queen Anne, Magnolia, and Phinney will take vans that are no longer cost-effective for the county to operate and put them to good use providing meals to those in need, transporting kids to afterschool programs, and delivering seniors to community services,” said Phillips, who represents northwest Seattle on the County Council. “Recycling retired vanpool vans for use by local service organizations ensures that our community is getting the maximum value out of these vehicles.”

United Indians of All Tribes Foundation, which offers programs at Daybreak Star in Magnolia’s Discovery Park, will use their donated van to further their mission of improving the nutrition, health, and general wellbeing of Native American elders ages 55 and above. They transport elders to hot lunches four days a week.

Phinney Neighborhood Association will use their van to pick up and drop off kids before and after school for their PNA Kids! program as well as for Greenwood Senior Center outings. The mission of the Phinney Neighborhood Association is to build community by providing and promoting programs, services, and activities that connect neighbors and promote civic involvement. Their programs include four preschools, a before and after school childcare program at two locations, a senior center, two soup kitchens, an art gallery, a tool lending library, lifelong learning education classes, a community newspaper, and numerous community events and activities.

Bayview Retirement Community will put their van to use transporting seniors and furthering their mission of transforming the experience of aging to deliver life's potential by helping residents remain independent and active, while offering a range of services and support to meet the challenges of aging.

The retired vans have been part of Metro Transit’s vanpool fleet for at least six years and have reached the end of their service life. When the vans reach this age, they are considered surplus as they are no longer cost effective for the county to operate.

Since 1995, the County Council has been donating retired vans from Metro’s Vanpool program to local nonprofit organizations to provide transportation for the disabled, low-income, young adults, and senior citizens.