SnoKing School Retirees find a new service project

Photo courtesy Washington State
Kids in Transition

Food Lifeline, the usual service project in Shoreline for the SnoKing School Retirees, was forced to move to south Seattle to find more space and that caused us to seek something closer and more accessible. 

That's when we became aware of Washington State Kids in Transition operating right under our noses. 

;More than 600 homeless children attend school in the Edmonds School District. Many of these children leave school each day and may not have anything to eat until the next morning. Some don't have clothes or shoes that fit. Others need immediate help finding a place to sleep with their families. 

What started as a grass-roots effort has grown into a community-wide passion thanks to Washington Kids in Transition. Through donations, contributions, and support Washington Kids in Transition provides basic needs to homeless children and families throughout the district. 

The local unit partners with 16 dedicated bus drivers that transport these homeless students before and after school and provide small food bags to sustain them until they return to school the next day. 

That's where SKSR Unit 23 comes in. On Saturday, January 4, 2020, 27 of our members met at the Edmonds Methodist Church to pack these bags. 

We had previously collected $766 in donations with which to purchase Cheez It Crackers, Soft and Chewy Granola Bars and Welch's Fruit Snacks.

In one hour and 15 minutes our team filled over 2,500 bags which filled 39 bins. This was our 2nd January to offer this support but with twice as many volunteers as last year. All who came left with a feeling of fulfillment and pride.

This was a good fit for a group of retired school employees and something we'll definitely program again for next year.

--Virgil Rayton