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Rainier Foothills Wellness Foundation tells council its school mental‑health program and senior meals expanded
Summary
Interim Executive Director Tammy Verhus told the council the foundation has served 82 students across local schools and runs a senior hot‑meals delivery program that prepares roughly 400 meals per week with about 87 volunteers; she asked the council to continue support.
Tammy Verhus, interim executive director of the Rainier Foothills Wellness Foundation, presented program highlights to the Eden Plus City Council on July 13, saying the foundation’s school mental‑health work and senior meal program have recently expanded.
"We have served a total of 82 students," Verhus told the council, citing 62 students at Enumclaw High School, nine at Enumclaw Middle School and 11 at Thunder Mountain. She said six Enumclaw High School students "graduated from therapy," and described an internal behavioral‑incident metric that moved from 0.69 to 1.016, which she characterized as a 32% improvement.
On senior services, Verhus said the foundation currently serves about 66 seniors and has delivered roughly six meals per week via three deliveries, amounting to "about 400 meals prepared from scratch each week." She said the program relies on roughly 87 volunteers who shop, prepare and deliver meals.
Verhus said the foundation has been searching for a school counselor and did not have that role filled until January; she thanked the council and staff for continued support. "We just really look forward to a continued partnership with all of you," she said.
Why it matters: The foundation’s programs target students and seniors in the city and adjacent communities; the council heard the quantitative program details and acknowledged the reported improvements and staffing challenges. Council members' committee reports noted the foundation’s role in community events and local partnerships.
What’s next: Verhus encouraged anyone with questions to contact staff or the foundation. Council did not take formal action on funding at the July 13 meeting.
