Ferguson secures retired Metro vans to benefit kids

North King County organizations that assist youth in their communities will benefit from the unanimous vote by the Metropolitan King County Council on September 12, 2011 to donate retired Metro Vanpool vans to local non-profit organizations. Councilmember Bob Ferguson was able to secure vans for three organizations: YouthCare, Rite of Passage Journeys, and Meadowbrook Community Care.

“As a father of two, I am excited that these vans will be helping children in our community,” said Ferguson. “These organizations provide valuable programs and services to the children of North King County.”

• YouthCare has worked with homeless youth to build confidence and self-sufficiency by providing a continuum of care that includes services such as emergency shelter, housing, counseling, education and job training. 
• Rite of Passage Journeys provides wilderness experiences for youth that foster self-discovery and connection with others to create a greater sense of community.
• Meadowbrook Community CARE (MC2) provides a number of programs for children in its effort to support, educate and engage the community, such as the Lake City Afterschool Project and the Lake City Holiday Gift Project. 

The donated retired vans were part of Metro Transit’s vanpool fleet and had reached the end of their service life. 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 residents, young adults, and senior citizens.

The donation of retired Vanpool vehicles provides mobility for a diverse array of King County residents, supports the positive work of various local organizations, and relieves traffic congestion by reducing the need for single-occupancy vehicles.

Interested local organizations can contact Councilmember Ferguson for more information on applying for a vehicle. He previously obtained vans in 2010 for the Shoreline - Lake Forest Park Senior Center,  Shoreline Parks and Recreation (which also serves LFP), and the Shoreline Veteran's Center.