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Wellness foundation reports school mental‑health gains, details senior hot‑meals program
Summary
Tammy Verhus, interim executive director of the Rainier Foothills Wellness Foundation, told the Eden Plus City Council the foundation’s school mental‑health program has served 82 students with measurable reductions in classroom behavioral incidents and described a senior hot‑meals effort serving 66 seniors and preparing about 400 meals weekly.
Tammy Verhus, interim executive director of the Rainier Foothills Wellness Foundation, told the Eden Plus City Council the foundation’s school mental‑health program has served a total of 82 students this school year, with 62 at Enumclaw High School, nine at Enumclaw Middle School and 11 at Thunder Mountain.
"We have served a total of 82 students," Verhus said, and she described modest academic and behavioral improvements: the record shows an average incident rate that rose from 0.69 to about 1.016 (a change Verhus characterized as a roughly "32% improvement in number of behavioral incidents") and a small GPA increase of about 1.25% among the 2025–26 cohort. Verhus said six Enumclaw High School students "graduated from therapy." The presentation did not include confidential clinical details.
Verhus also described the foundation’s senior hot‑meals program. "Senior hot meals, we currently have 66 seniors," she said, adding the program prepares about 400 meals from scratch each week and relies on roughly 87 volunteers to shop, prepare and deliver meals. She said seniors receive six meals weekly via three deliveries.
Council members did not take action on the presentation. Verhus closed by inviting council and residents to contact the foundation or former director Sarah Stratton with questions.
Why it matters: The foundation’s programs serve local students and older residents, and the figures presented will inform council discussions about partnerships with schools and funding for senior services.
