Dembowski donates “retired” King County surplus vanpool vans to local nonprofits

This van was donated to the
Senior Center in 2010

Metropolitan King County Council Vice Chair Rod Dembowski announced that four local organizations will receive retired Metro Transit Vanpool vans to provide transportation assistance for low-income, elderly or young people, or people with disabilities.

“There are so many tremendous nonprofits and organizations serving our community; it’s an honor to help support their work,” said Council Vice Chair Rod Dembowski. 

“From helping adults with developmental disabilities to providing new opportunities to youth, these ‘retired’ vans are going to provide essential transportation needs in our community for years to come.”

The programs that will be receiving vans are:

• Northwest School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children
• Parkview Services
• Urban Native Education Alliance
• Young Women Empowered (Y-WE)

"We are so grateful for all Councilmember Dembowski does to champion our school and the work we do with deaf and hard-of-hearing children,” Lynessa Cronn, Head of School at Northwest School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children in Shoreline. 

“Thanks to King County, and the donation of this van, we are accessing the resources we need to serve a growing number of students while also providing each of them with transformative educational experiences throughout our community."

The vanpool program 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.

"Transportation is critical for Parkview Group Home - it's how our residents are able to access their community,” Marc Cote, Executive Director, Parkview Services. “We are grateful to King County Metro for their holistic understanding and support for inclusive communities."

Interested organizations in King county District 1 can contact the Councilmember for more information on applying for a vehicle in future grant cycles.

Previous van donations have gone to Parks, Senior Center, Veterans' Center, Hopelink. Provail, Turning Point, and others.