Eagle Scout candidate initiates project to assist homebound seniors during COVID-19 crisis

Ballinger Thriftway allowed a donation bin in the store
for Andrew W to collect food for homebound senior citizens
Photo courtesy Troop 309

Eagle Scout Candidate Andrew W is leading an Eagle Scout Project to provide needed food resources for needy homebound seniors in Lake Forest Park and Shoreline.

The project, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Lake Forest Park, will benefit seniors being served by the Shoreline/Lake Forest Park Senior Center. The senior center is now the primary lifeline to provide needed meals, food and supplies to homebound seniors.

Theresa La Croix, Senior Center Director, notes that this Eagle Scout Project comes at a critical time when the senior center had to cease in-person operations due to the COVID-19, leaving many seniors without the food and service support that the center offers every week. 

Funding and resources were never meant to provide for the unique and vast need required by the COVID-19 crisis. 

She notes that KC Public Health Directives severely limit the way staff and volunteers can even interact with seniors on a face to face basis when dropping off food.

The center cleans all the food donated, prepares some meals for delivery and prepares the weekly food boxes for delivery. Seniors cannot pick up food at the center as the center itself is closed to the public by health order.

Currently, Ballinger Thriftway on Ballinger Way has allowed a donation box in their store to collect donations.

Andrew is working with other grocery stores and retailers to either donate fresh food or place other collection boxes. The senior center also needs certain fresh items to supplement the food boxes. 

When Andrew found out that some of the seniors could not lift
the food boxes or bend down to get the food, he had tables
built for their front porches.
Photo courtesy Troop 309

In an unexpected twist to his project, Andrew was told that food was being left on the doorstep of elderly disabled seniors who could not lift the 20-pound box much less bend down to get the food.

He had volunteers build small 2’ X 2’ tables to place on the porch for the food box so these seniors could safely get their food. All the tables were built with donated wood and labor.

Andrew has a web page for more information about his project and information on how to donate food, supplies or make a cash donation.

The Lake Forest Park Rotary Charitable Foundation can receive tax deductible cash donations for this project. 

All funds received will go to benefit COVID-19 emergency senior services in Lake Forest Park and Shoreline - particularly homebound and needy seniors served by the Senior Center, which is in desperate need of resources.

Andrew is a member of Scouts BSA Troop 309 in Shoreline WA. Information about his project and how you can help can be found HERE

To contact Andrew or ask questions please contact his Scoutmaster (and Rotarian) Dwight Thompson at dthompson@reswa.org or 206-399-9477.